


But Seriously, What If?

by mamamittens



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Kidnapping, Knotting, Mafia Sans, May be Dark, Naga, Original Character - Freeform, Pirates, Possesive, Prompt dump, Revenge Plot, Suggestive Themes, Underfell, Will add tags as I go, Yandere Sans, beloved hostage, check the warnings for each chapter, crossovers, dubcon, mermaid, occasionally, pet mermaid, tiny pet mermaid, vampire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-01-09 21:59:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 57,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12285204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mamamittens/pseuds/mamamittens
Summary: Primarily working with character's I've already written (especially those that are meant to be/are couples for otp fic prompts), this fic is where I can freely handle and work on A) requests that don't fit the story and I'd feel bad not doing or interrupting the plot for and B) prompts that I run into and want to give a try without committing. Or anything else I want to put here, especially to celebrate holidays when none of my stories are currently taking place during said holiday.Feel free to request, but understand that if it's too far out there for me, it won't be done.I'd recommend reading my other stories to get an idea of what I've already done/what I'm comfortable with, but it's not required. Chapters will have proper indications for the subject matter/warnings. If they don't please remind me.





	1. Chapter 1

            It was ridiculous the amount of time he spent on his computer, but sacrifices had to be made when you co-run an entire corporation with a perfectionist brother. Papyrus was beyond demanding, but thankfully handled all the social aspects himself, not trusting Sans with dealing with the large variety of people to run a corporation. Papyrus talks the talk and Sans is basically his secretary. But it was better than the alternative, so Sans never complained. He preferred digging up dirt on their competitors, arranging meetings in a neat schedule, and getting to stay in his pajamas all day long.

            His office was his private space, if a bit sparse. A deluxe computer desk, desktop, and a large and comfy office chair were the only things that were kept in here. Papyrus had inspected it recently and demanded that Sans clean out the trash that had accumulated, to his confusion. Papyrus, for all his demanding ways, rarely went near his space, let alone critiqued it. Then again, his sharply dressed brother _had_ been acting weird recently. Fangs clenched together in a thin smile almost every time he thought Sans wasn’t looking. It was honestly starting to freak him out. And then he discovered _why_. Or at least, partially why.

Just last week he came into his office with a cup of coffee, ready to start the day before Papyrus got to work, and found a fifty-five gallon fish tank, fully set up and everything, running in his office. It was… interestingly empty, save for what looked like plenty of rocks, grass, a large stick, and a few makeshift caves. He had turned back around and went to his brother, staring at him as Papyrus fixed a blood red tie around his neck.

            “Bro… why is there a fish tank in my office?” Papyrus had cackled softly.

            “Nyeheh! You’re an absolute hermit, Sans! You almost never leave the house, and I know it is partly because of how much you work, but a bar is not a suitable replacement for companionship! So I’m getting you a pet! A few, technically, but one will be the centerpiece!” Sans took a moment to sigh.

            “What’s wrong with a dog? Or a cat?” Papyrus sneered at the suggestions.

            “They _shed horribly_ Sans! I will not have them defecating all over the house until they are trained! So you will be getting fish!” and that had been the end of the discussion. Somehow though, Papyrus managed to surprise him.

            Today, he came in to find the fish tank lively with fish. How Papyrus managed to sneak them in, rather like the tank actually, Sans wasn’t sure. He spotted a decent school of neon tetras, what looked like two plecos nosing around the rock at the bottom, three silver and black stripped angel fish, and a fish tail that he didn’t recognize. It flashed between the long leaves of a plant, too fast for him to see. Curious, he shuffled over, glancing at a booklet obviously made by Papyrus about proper fish and fish tank care.

            Maybe if he put some food at the top, he’d see the strange fish? He grabbed the can of flakes, pinching a decent amount between his phalanges, and opened the top, lightly sprinkling them onto the water’s surface. The angel fish darted up, snapping at the flakes as the tetras did the same. It was kind of cute, but still no sign of the mystery fish. Scowling, Sans grabbed the booklet and flipped through it, pausing at the section over food. Papyrus had written that the ‘centerpiece fish’ was a surprise, and it preferred actual meat over flakes. Papyrus had thoughtfully provided a serving of shrimp, apparently a favorite food, to help introduce Sans and win over the mystery fish. All he had to do was be polite and offer the shrimp, preferably feeding the mystery fish by hand.

            Bemused and curious, he spotted the container of small white and pink shrimp, ready to eat, and opened it. Grabbing a single tail delicately, he lifted it out of the container and smirked.

            “Man, look at all this shrimp here. Not sure if this is a good breakfast, but I suppose I could eat it. Such a shame there’s no one to share it with.” Sans laughed, feeling ridiculous. How was he supposed to talk to a fi—

            “U-Uhm… If you don’t mind, I’d like a bite… or three.” He nearly dropped the shrimp as he whipped his head around and saw a small figure peering over the side of the fish tank shyly. The head was clearly human, wide golden eyes and short, soaking red hair plastered to her face, and the torso was human. But after that? Pale pink skin slowly bled into black and dark red scales, the tail fin strongly reminiscent of the angel fish now idly swimming around the tank. Speechless, he held out the shrimp and watched as delicate hands grasped the meat and tore off a large chunk. Completely floored, Sans didn’t move his hand until she’d torn off all the meat and eaten it.

            “…So… the ‘mystery fish’ my brother talked about it… a tiny mermaid?” Sans questioned softly, noting how she had fins on both sides of her hips and two thin and trailing fins just under where the belly button would be. She had to be ten inches long from head to… tail. She nodded.

            “Y-Yeah… Papyrus said you needed company? I’m Anna… pleased to meet you.” She said so softly he almost didn’t hear her. He was entranced. She was so _small_ but still a person? A cute girl at that. How the hell did Papyrus find a _miniature mermaid_?!

            “I’m… I’m Sans, sweetheart, and the pleasure’s all mine.” She blushed hard, the color traveling all the way down her chest, which was covered in scales like a small bralette. Looks like Papyrus was getting his wish. There was no way Sans could ignore a cute little mermaid five feet from his computer at all times. How was he going to get any work done like this?!

            “C-Can I have another shrimp, please?” Sans tossed the tail and grabbed another piece of shrimp, rolling his chair in front of the tank.

            “Absolutely, sweetheart.” Sans declared with a soft smile as he offered the shrimp well within her reach.


	2. Working List of Things to try

Current list of AUs, Tropes, and Kinks that I may try. Some have obvious sexual connotations.

AU(14): Vampire, librarian, succubus/incubus, sugar daddy/momma (closest I’m getting, sorry RTNightmare), vigilante, flower shop, gangsters/mafia, matchmaker, fairytale (be warned I have a copy of the complete works of the brothers Grimm, shit gets extra and super weird in those), coffee shop, secret agents/assassins, runaway, royalty, and pirates.

Trope(18): Wedding, A dates C to make B jealous, celebrating a holiday, revenge/vendetta, love potion 69, trapped in a doll house, vampire thrall, bad luck curse, trick-or-treating, hell hotel, serial killer, lost in haunted woods, Alice in Wonderland, contract with the devil, possession, horror movie marathon, beauty and the beast, and bodyguard.

Kink(12): possessiveness, beloved hostage/Stockholm syndrome, claiming, size difference, rough sex, knotting, sex toys, immobilization and/or helplessness, size, domesticity, pet names, and hand feeding.

I’m considering counting them up, assigning numbers, and then seeing what comes of it. Got all of them off of ‘imagineyourotp’ .com. One moment, let me see how this goes. *Does the thing* And I got… 3, 13, 12. That would be the succubus/incubus AU with the trope of Alice in Wonderland, and the kink of hand feeding. Roommate chose the numbers without knowing exactly what they were for. As she says, “I didn’t make an informed decision… just a decision”. Alrighty then… I'll be back in maybe an hour with the prompt, I guess.


	3. Curiouser and Curiouser Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sex talk, but no actual sex. They do kiss though.  
> AU: Incubus/succubus  
> Trope: Alice in Wonderland  
> Kink: Hand Feeding

\-- _Suggestive content ahead~_ \--

As of late, I’ve been having some very odd… dreams. I’ve blamed it on the recent binge watching of every movie version of Alice in Wonderland. Yes, even the weird ‘child friendly’ version featuring decapitated heads. Ever since then, my dreams have been… odd. The settings were familiar, very reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, but every time the only one there was… well, a purple fire man. Literally. His entire body, save for his clothes, were made of bright purple flames. He’d be dressed up as different characters, but it was undeniably him every time.

The first time, he was dressed in a suit with a nice waistcoat and a pocket watch. He had stopped and asked me if I wanted to follow him. My answer was a solid ‘no’. He seemed… shocked by this and the dream dissolved. The next night, he was back, quizzically watching me from between the trees as a floating ball of flame in the vague shape of a cat. Occasionally, he’d pose a question.

“Isn’t there something you want to do?” he asked meaningfully, reclining on a branch overhead.

“Well, not really. Though I’d like to know your name at least.” He paused and looked down at me in askance, as though I had asked him how much the moon would weigh if it revolved around Pluto.

“…You may call me Grillby, though I do wonder… is there anywhere you want to _go_?” he asked, his voice husky as he floated down and leaned in close to me, his breath hot against my face. I blinked, feeling a bit flustered at how close he was, and he grinned in triumph.

“I’m Iris… and I guess out of this forest would be nice… will you actually give me directions or will everything fade away like yesterday?” I asked and he shot back as though slapped. After a moment of confused silence, he smirked, fire snapped across his ‘hair’ and popping between his teeth.

“Oh, I _do love a challenge_. Soon, you’ll know want, flint heart. You will know my _fire_.” And the dream was over again. I assumed, quite correctly, that that wasn’t the last I’d seen of him. The next dream he was in a suit fit for a king comprised mostly of heart motifs, “I hope you don’t mind the liberties I took this time, dear. I don’t make a very good drag queen, I’m afraid. Now, do you want to play croquet?” he asked smoothly, offering the stiff body of an upside-down flamingo. Amused, I accepted, awkwardly handling the legs.

“I’m afraid I don’t know how to play normally, let alone with a flamingo, Grillby.” I murmured, trying to get over holding bird legs. With a chuckle, he stood behind me, taking hold of my hands and adjusting them properly. I felt overly warm from how close his body was to mine as he leaned his head down and, for some reason, whispered against my neck.

“The key, flint heart, is _confidence_. Know what you want and _take it_.” I blinked and craned my neck to look at him.

“Grillby… I’m pretty sure that’s not quite how you play croquet. Sounds more like advice for soccer.” I huffed, causing Grillby to narrow his eyes, almost pure white pits of fire obscured by dark sun glasses, and laugh.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find use for this advice soon, regardless.” He declared breezily, bumping his hips against mine as he swayed forward, moving my arms in a soft swing to hit a hedgehog through a hoop in the ground.

“I’d still like some actual rules, Grillby. Not just inspirational quotes.” He sighed, dipping his chin into my neck.

“…Very well…”

These dreams have been going, more or less, along those lines. Until tonight, that is. Tonight, the dream started with myself outside a gate, and just beyond was a large table with only one occupant. Grillby was in a nice, if flamboyantly dark purple suit, and a tall patchwork top hat. He seemed dimmer than last time, in fact, he seemed to be more dim that the first dream. Concerned, I walked up to the table and took a seat next to him, briefly admiring the simple blue dress that had a generous mass of fabric underneath the skirt to give it volume.

“…Grillby, are you alright?” he jerked in surprise, looking over at me as though he didn’t realize I had even sat down. His mouth cracked open before gently snapping shut.

“…No… I am not… tell me, do you know what an incubus is?” I thought for a moment but he continued on anyway, “They’re a type of dream demon that feeds off of sexual energy. More specifically, a male demon that preys primarily on sleeping women. Usually, their presence alone clouds a woman’s mind. Making them pliable and accepting. I’ve been trying for over a week, and yet never once have you been under my influence. I can barely even change the setting of your curiously specific dream theme.” Grillby ranted bitterly for several moments.

“Oh… _Oh_ … So, does that mean that… you’re starving, Grillby?” I asked, feeling concern for him. It was creepy, sure, but I don’t imagine he could set up a profile on a dating website, being a dream demon and all that. And he never actually tried anything, likely waiting for his ‘presence’ to take effect. Well, he did _flirt_ pretty blatantly, not that I think about it… kind of went over my head, though. Grillby looked at me oddly.

“That’s your reaction? _Concern_? I tell you I’m a demon that preys on sleeping women through dreams, and you ask if I’m _hungry_? Of course I am! I thought the first dream was a fluke, and then my pride got in the way and now I don’t have the energy to leave your dream space, even though it’s clear that you’re asexual!” Grillby snapped, knocking over one of the no less than two dozen tea cups, “The _one_ demographic that I can’t influence! I. Am going. To die here!” he threw another tea cup for good measure. He looked on the edge of breaking, fire low and weak but still snapping. I felt bad for him, really, I did. But I couldn’t help but snort. I got up out of my chair and sat in his lap.

“Grillby, you dumbass, I’m not sex-repulsed. Don’t get me wrong, I won’t have sex with you. You need to at least take me somewhere other than Wonderland for that. But I think a clever fire demon like you can think of something else.” I declared, putting an arm over his shoulder as he sat there, gob smacked. I _certainly_ wasn’t interested in having sex with Grillby at the moment, but I felt close enough that, for his health alone, I wouldn’t mind being… _close_. Slowly, Grillby’s face broke out into a grin, his arms winding around my waist and pulling me closer.

“Oh, I’m sure I can think of _something_ … here, flint heart, why don’t you sample some of the treats we have here?” He asked, gesturing to the abandoned plate of cookies close by. But when I reached out, he lightly smacked my hand. I gave him an amused look as he grabbed a cookie himself and held it against my lips. I struggled to contain a smile.

“I tell you to—mph!” the sugar sweet pastry was pushed delicately into my mouth before I could finish the sentence. I glared at him playfully, chewing the modest bite while his free hand ran up and down my thigh, slowly pulling up the skirt.

“From one clever incubus to a sweet little spitfire, you shouldn’t give demons such as I an inch, or we’ll take a mile.” I snorted, covering my mouth before he could shove more cookie into it.

“Isn’t the exact opposite the reason you’re in this mess in the _first place_ , oh, clever incubus? You couldn’t _get_ an inch, let alone a mile.” His free hand drifted up, tangling with the one covering my mouth, as he leaned over and whispered into my ear.

“ _Careful, flint heart, or I’ll be giving you more than an inch by the end of the night._ ” He licked a hot stripe along my ear, making me gasp heatedly before the other half of the cookie was used to muffle the sound. I felt a warm sensation stirring in my stomach and Grillby sighed happily against my neck before moving his head to press his lips against mine. Flustered, I swallowed the last of the cookie just before he licked against my lips, taking advantage of my gasp to give me a lingering kiss. He looked quite a bit brighter already, but I could barely look at him for the heat inside me that just kept growing, “You’re absolutely delicious. I wouldn’t mind a few more bites, myself.” His hand slipped down to grip my thigh, rubbing inward. Fuck. If he kept this going for much longer, he won’t need that other date for sex. Somehow, I think he knew that, judging by the heated chuckle as he went in for another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was interesting. Feel free to request any combination from the list in the previous chapter (it doesn't have to be one of each), if you can't think of a scenario you want to see. Feel free to request with a specific couple or person in mind, but be warned that i may not do all of it (If writing the coupling makes me uncomfortable, for example).
> 
> Anyway, i hope you guys liked it! Feel free to leave a comment or request here or on my tumblr: https:// mamamittens .tumblr .com/  
> Be sure to remove the spaces (Not sure if AO3 has fixed the issue with removing website links or not).


	4. Request: Vampire, revenge, beloved hostage, and helplessness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anything in that title, or the implications they have, make you uncomfortable, maybe don't read this chapter, yeah?

Cloy552: Vampire AU with revenge trope and an (un)healthy serving of beloved hostage and helplessness. Revenge-taker must be the beloved hostage.

 

            Carefully highlighting a name in an extensive document, I applied the strikethrough option, crossing out yet another name. Out of the thirty-seven names on the document, this was only the fifth name that I’ve crossed out. The first three had already died of natural causes, the fourth was in for chemo and not likely to survive the next month, so he didn’t require my interference. But the fifth… George Dickson was living the high life. But as of an hour ago, he died in the gutter, seemingly having committed suicide. Truth be told, I thought it was incredibly ironic that all it took was chalk hands on a rooftop and a heavy amount of magic to carry his passed out body all fifteen feet from beneath the abandoned refreshment table and to push him over the edge. No one saw me take five minutes to draw them while setting up for the party as I’d been paid to do for the evening, and I was all the way down the street when it happened. Far enough that the police never questioned me, choosing instead to focus on the distraught people closer to the incident.

            I took a moment to breathe and save the document, trying not to vomit for the third time that evening. My first official casualty in revenge for the murder of my parents and my brother… I took a shuddering breath and tried not to cry. I had killed a man in cold blood tonight, and I had at least thirty-two more to go. My determination didn’t waver in the slightest but… I felt like I had a long way ahead of me. And tomorrow night I have an invitation to a party where another name on my list needs to be crossed out… I don’t think I’m getting a lot of sleep tonight. Maybe if Sans still lived next door, I could have put my mind off of this revenge plot for a while and got some sleep for once, but he had moved away about a month ago. Something about a nice place out in the country… sounds about right for him. He constantly prowled the city at night like it was going to bite him. He’s a good friend… he deserves to be able to relax.

            The dress code for the party was a bit more dressy than I usually prefer. I wasn’t sure if it was dramatic of me to wear a short black dress, but it would certainly get me past the front door. The party itself was rather ritzy, taking place in an old ballroom. There would be a speech at the beginning, dancing through the night, and socializing. The person I was looking for was a man in his forties by the name of Hendrick Reeces. He was part of the counsel that oversaw the organization’s missions, the very same one that agreed to send my parents and my brother into a suicide mission without the necessary information as a way of closing up loose ends as they were being shut down. I chatted idly with a man in a business suit, my mind a million miles away as I tried not to shake from nerves. This time I had to do it in person. There wasn’t time to use animation magic to kill him… I just hope I don’t falter at the last minute.

            I saw him across the ballroom and it hit me suddenly. I had no idea how to lead him out of the room to kill him. I tracked down each and every person responsible, I researched how to kill Dickson, but this was last minute. I made a mistake… there was no way I could trick him into following me and kill him personally. I…I… I needed air. As casually as possible, I went to the open doors and into the garden out back that was open to guests, trying not to cry. I _had to do this_ … but… how? I looked at the rose bushes and had an idea. This historical building was well known for the classy events and well-maintained garden. It would be exhausting but… I could put in enough magic that Reeces would die, consumed by the roses. I reached out to gently cup a perfect blossoming rose, the dark red color contrasting with my pale, shaking hand, and started to pull on my magic. A firm hand snatched mine away, curling around my waist as the other muffled my startled shriek.

            “Alright, that’s _enough_.” I stilled in shock. _Sans?!_ The familiar scent of metal and chalk wrapped around me as he backed away from the garden and into the shadow cast by the large oak tree, “Look at yourself, ran ragged, nearly in tears. Ready to rip yourself apart for a fruitless endeavor… they’re onto you, sweetheart, don’t you know? You weren’t going to leave the party alive if I had let you do your thing.” He hissed into my ear before jerking me around to face him. He looked furious and unexpectedly sharp in his tuxedo, skeleton grin foreboding as his golden canine caught a distant light.

            “S-Sans?! W-What? How do you…” there were so many questions that I wasn’t sure which to ask _first_. He sighed, nodding as he cupped my face and pressed his forehead to my own.

            “Took pulling a few strings to get everything set up, but I’m taking you out of here, Anna. It’s clear you can’t take care of yourself.” I jerked back but his grip was firm.

            “Sans, I _can’t_ just let them get away with it! Please, you have to understand!” he shook his head.

            “Oh no, I understand perfectly well, Anna sweet. I took down half a dozen assassins from the time you started digging too deep. I tried distracting you from revenge, tried suggesting other routes without giving myself away… but you’re too determined. I love your drive… how firmly you stand for those you love but Anna. Oh, sweet Anna, that’ll only get you killed.” Sans whispered, looking deep into my eyes. I started to feel… woozy. My knees collapsing as a wave of vertigo hit me.

            “S-Sans…?” I could barely whisper as he pulled me close to his chest, the warmth of his embrace a perfect solace against the chill of the night.

            “You smell so sweet… I’ve been dying for a chance to taste you, but you were always so _sad_ and _wounded_. This little revenge plot has brought you new life, but it will only kill you faster.” He breathed against my throat, licking a startlingly hot line up to my ear, “So I’m going to do what I should have in the first place. _Don’t fight me, Anna sweet, oh Anna mine, I will protect you now_.” The pain was sharp and burning as he bit down, but I could barely let out a whimper. My body unresponsive as he pressed his tongue to the bleeding wound and sucked up the blood. This wasn’t right. _Monsters_ didn’t live off a blood. They ate food, sometimes even made with magic, but never _blood_.

            “H-Hahn…” the wave of dizziness increased as he took more blood, seemingly lost to the world. He was going to drink me dry at this rate… Panic, deep-seated and feeble as it was, barely managed to inspire the one syllable I thought he would hear, “S-Sans… no…” he hummed as though drunk, reluctantly pulling back and sealing the bite with a bubbly wave of magic from his tongue.

            “Just as I thought… **_you’re delicious._** A vampire never forgets the taste of his favorite prey and can always track them back down again… Sleep, sweet Anna mine. I’ll take care of everything else. I’m a skeleton of my word, I promise. Well, I’m a _vampire_ skeleton of my word, at least.” He joked as he swept my legs out from under me and stood up at full height, the motion too much for my over-taxed body, and darkness slammed over me.

\--That bites—

            When I came to, my head was pounding and the sheets were too soft to be my own. The mattress too giving and the bed was already too wide to by mine, either, and I hadn’t even opened my eyes. With a groan, I scowled at the ceiling, noting with confusion that there was a pale pink silk canopy draped over the four-poster bed. The only light source was a small night light somewhere along the wall by the door, but it was enough to see by. The blankets were thick and luxurious in an indulgent shade of dark red. On the far right end was a bedside table with a glass of water, a bottle of vitamins, and an unopened package of crackers. In a familiar scrawl was instructions to take two vitamins, eat the crackers, and drink all the water provided. Or else. Reluctantly, I reached out to grab the water, contemplating whether the crackers would stay down.

            I noticed suddenly that I wasn’t wearing a shirt like I usually do when sleeping and was startled. Glancing down, I realized it was a pure white teddy nightgown, the silk sheer and revealing a bit too much about my underwear and bra. A shiver went down my spine as I tried to recollect what had happened. I could remember the party… having second thoughts. Going into the garden and then… _Sans_. My hand slapped over my neck and I yelped at the pain the sensitive bite wound created. I felt panic settle over me just as the door opened. It was Sans, this time wearing a worn t shirt and sleeping pants. He carried a tray with a bowl of something and seemed happy that I was awake.

            “Oh! I thought you’d be down for a few more minutes, but it’s good to see you awake again!”

            “Sans… where are we?” I asked, nervous at the lack of windows.

            “Oh, just in that house I told you about! It took a while to get and redecorate, but it was worth it for you!” Sans proclaimed, entirely too happy. A small part of me was glad he was happy but… I really didn’t like that it was in _this_ circumstance.

            “How did you afford this? We lived in the same crappy apartment complex together for almost a year!” I hoped that by avoiding the _main_ concern that he would be easier to reason with later.

            “Oh, that was just to get close to you, to be honest. And to save money. I’m _very_ good at my job, and it pays well… it’s actually a bit ironic. Had things been different… if you had picked up on my hints, I gladly would have taken all those hits for you. But then I receive one for you. No body required. They just wanted you gone. Hah, well, they do say that if you do what you love, you never work a day in your life. And sweetheart, the money they put down to make you disappear, _more_ than covers this place.” Sans placed the tray down and playfully booped my nose, “But this plan requires _cooperation_. And I will have that cooperation, no matter what it takes.” He growled, broaching no argument. Considering valor the better part of discretion for the time being, I pulled my legs to my chest and nodded.

            “What do you mean by cooperation?” I asked and Sans immediately beamed at me.

            “I’m so _glad_ you asked, sweetheart!” He declared, grabbing my knees to slide them down against the mattress, “Don’t hide yourself from me. Where was I? Ah, you can’t be seen in public ever again! At least not until I take care of that list for you. They _hurt_ you and that just won’t do.”

            “S-Sans… I can’t just hide out… wherever this is! You can’t seriously expect me to just hide away and do nothing!” I argued, feeling the walls close in around me. Sans smiled softly, running a hand through my hair before yanking it down and pressing his fangs against my neck where he ad previously bitten me. The pain made me jolt and cry out in surprise.

            “I **_really_** need you to reconsider that train of thought, Anna. It would be no hardship for me to constantly drain you nearly dry, keep you weak and barely awake. I barely stopped myself from doing that as my plan A because I have faith that you can make the right decision.” He relaxed his grip, tenderly massaging my scalp in apology as he pressed small kisses to my sore neck, “Just let me handle everything and we can be so _happy_. Together.”

            “S-Sans, this isn’t right!” I stuttered, terror building. He sighed, leaning back to look me in the eyes.

            “I don’t like using this ability. It never lasts long enough for anything besides feeding, but repeated use on a weakened subject tends to have… interesting side effects. Such as instinctive obedience after long term use, especially if reinforced with feeding sessions. _Relax_ , Anna.” I felt dizzy and weak again as he leaned down against my neck and bit down gently. The pain just as sharp as the first time. I started to fall back asleep from too much blood lost by the time he stopped again. After sealing the bite he leaned back, licking his fangs free of blood and moving me into his lap. He propped my limp body up and spoon fed me soup that I couldn’t even taste. I barely had enough energy to comply, let alone fight him. I felt tears slip down my cheeks as he cooed and kissed them away after every other bite. Belatedly, I realized the scent I always thought was metal was just blood from his breath.

This situation… it felt inevitable. Even without my somewhat reckless quest for revenge… did he always plan for it to end this way? Like this, drained of a significant amount of blood each time I resist, there was no way I could leave him. I doubt I’d make it ten feet from the door, even if I played along, before he’d be on me again. Before I’d be right back here. Sans was clever, even without his vampiric abilities, there… really wasn’t any escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's my attempt at a revenge plot (not sure if i nailed that bit), but here it is, chickadee! I hope you liked it!
> 
> If anyone wants a request, feel free to dig something up or chose from the list of provided AUs, tropes, or kinks and I'll see what I can do. It doesn't have to be one or just one from each category either. So drop a comment/request here or on my Tumblr if that's your preferred medium (username is the same as here and filled primarily with practice fan art of characters i've written about so far).


	5. Big Bad Wolf Really Should Not

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just assume that the aesthetic for this AU is Medieval Times but guns are an actual thing, yeah? No real warnings here unless threatening violence doesn't sit well with you.

(AU)Fairy Tale, (Trope) I guess you could argue that it’s beauty and the beast, (Kink) Claiming, (what would it be called if she ain’t having none of that?), and possessive behavior.

The Woods. A seemingly dark and endless expanse of trees. Legend has it that no one that enters ever finds their way out again. Many have debated if it’s because of the size… or because of what lurks within. Countless strange creatures have been claimed to roam the Woods. Their descriptions always vague, shape ever changing and their nature as shadowed as their forms between the trees. But none could argue that there was _something_ in those woods.

One such ‘something’ was Sans. A proud member of his pack, and it was his duty to patrol near the small, worn path that wound through the trees and out the other side. More as a formality than anything else. No one was stupid enough to go into the woods. Usually, he’d barely glance over the path, but today he was avoiding his brother, Papyrus. Papyrus was of the strong opinion that Sans should settle down. Find a good mate and continue their proud lineage as skeleton wolf monsters. He knew everyone that lived in the forest and… he did not like any of his options. Too young, too old, or just not someone he could see himself Bonding with. He was probably being picky, but this was one of the few things he had complete control over. Papyrus had it easy. Tin can had long since agreed to go out with him and they were happy together, much as it made Sans want to barf.

And then something broke him out of his musings. The distant sound of humming and a clack of shoes skipping along the path. He didn’t know anyone that would skip, and the locals were terrified of the forest, so who the hell was making their merry way down the path? Silently, he crouched in the bushes and stared down the path where the sound was coming from.

There, a flash of bright red cloth, fluttering around a lithe figure. Instantly, he was interested in the carefree human skipping down the way. Short brown hair fluttered across her face with every skip, rustling the bulky layers of her dark blue dress with a pale blue corset that matched the bottom layers of the skirt. She didn’t seem to care that her dark blue, chunky heels were getting scuffed in the dirt. In the crook of her arm there was a large basket and his tail twitched at the scent of baked goods. He leered in the shadows before smoothly standing up and walking onto the path.

“Heya, sweetheart. What are you doing in these woods alone?” He asked once she had seen him and slowed down, coming to a stop five feet from him with a slightly concerned expression.

“They shut down the main road to my friend’s house because of the storm last week. Apparently, it’s a mess of broken branches and not safe.” Sans chuckled, catching the moment she noticed the furry ears hidden in the fluff of his hood twitch. Idly, he let his tail swipe across the ground, feeling the opaque red fur brush through dirt but didn’t care.

“And the _woods_ was somehow safer? Heh… Why don’t I walk with you for a while?” He asked, smoothly sliding over to her side and wrapping a hand around her waist. Scowling, she smacked his hand away lightly. A warning more than anything else.

“I think I can manage, thank you though.” She huffed and Sans couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Isn’t it a bit dangerous for a little lady to be walking along?” Sans asked and she snorted and gave him a questioning glare.

“Isn’t it a bit dangerous for a little lady to walk with a strange man alone?” ow. That almost hurt. Sans bit back the urge to laugh with glee. At first, he was just curious, but now he didn’t want to leave. She was absolutely _hilarious_. No one had ever sniped back at him like that and he had never realized that this was what he was missing in his life. At least one other person who didn’t fold the minute he approached… that wasn’t his brother, that is.

“M-Mweh-heh… Fair enough, but I’m a monster, little lady. Names’ Sans.” He cooed, wondering how far he could press before she snapped at him for real. She smiled slightly, but her shoulders were still tense and she looked only marginally less likely to smack him.

“And I’m Anna, now if you don’t mind, I need to be on my way.” She declared before gliding past him, her dress bustling around her hips with an audible rustle. Keeping his mirth to himself, he jogged to catch up.

“I’m going to have to go along with you, little lady. I patrol the area and my bro would have my hide if I let just _anyone_ wander through.” Sans excused when she leveled a surprisingly heavy glare over her shoulder. She seemed to buy it… barely. Feeling like he was pushing a little too much, he maintained a respectful distance until they reached the end of the path, just inside the border of the woods.

“Well… I suppose I should thank you for walking with me. Have a nice day, Sans.” Anna sighed with a small smirk before leaving him behind. Sans felt conflicted. It had been nice to just… walk with her. She’s stubborn but polite. Doesn’t give a shit that he’s a skeleton wolf monster. Barely seemed to register the fact that he was a predator. She didn’t give a shit and he had a feeling that she’d smack his brother too if Papyrus overstepped her boundaries. And his bro wasn’t a meek pup by any means. With a sigh, he turned around, resigning himself to never seeing her again. There was no way that the road would still be ‘unsafe’ by the time she’d go visit her ‘friend’ again. Imagine his surprise when Anna walked down the path later that evening. And again the next day. And the day after that… a solid month of gently poking at her patience, but she still walked the path, didn’t she? A small part of Sans fancied that Anna was _fond_ of him.

And then _it happened_. Sans was waiting just a little ways in the woods for Anna to get back from visiting her friend. Giddy, he rocked on his heels when he spotted the bright red hood coming up the path. His movements halted when he spotted the lean human male in simple dress and pale blond hair walking beside her. Anna smiled, but it was the thin ‘I’m only being polite, fuck off’ smile that she occasionally gave _him_. Mostly when his hand wandered down to her hips or ass. He wasn’t brave enough to try to cop a feel of her breasts. The male stopped and glared at him, grabbing Anna’s arm and jerking her behind him.

“The fuck do _you_ want, monster?” Sans spared only a small glance at Anna, who looked like she sucked a lemon and was glaring at the human.

“I’m just here to escort _my little lady_ through the woods. S’not safe to go alone.” Sans barely managed not to snarl, his tail thumping against the ground.

“Monsters can’t be trusted!” the male turned around and almost spat in Anna’s surprised face with his vitriol, “They’ll lead sweet little things like you astray with just a crook of their finger!” Anna narrowed her eyes at the human and Sans felt a spark of _pride_. She didn’t roll over for _anyone_.

“Are you trying to insinuate that I can’t be trusted on my own? That’s I’m some… Some… Some placid little doll lying on a shelf?!” Anna sneered and Sans almost felt bad when the male’s face twisted into a ‘gentle’ and ‘reassuring’ look. Really, the human male looked _incredibly patronizing_.

“You’re a sweet girl, you just need a little guidance and you’ll be fine, no problem.” And then the stupid, human male did the most stupid thing he’d ever seen. He placed a hand on the side of her ribcage, the relative size of his hand to her body causing him to definitely grope her. And then he _squeezed_ and Sans lost his cool. But he wasn’t the only one. Silver glinted in the light and an actual _gun_ was pressed to the crotch of the human’s pants. Instantly, the human paled and froze. Sans was _shocked_. Guns were a highly prized commodity, _how the hell did she get one_?!

“If you don’t get the _fuck_ out of my face and get your hands off of me, the only problem I’m going to have is finding a spot to bury your body.” Anna coldly declared. Boy howdy, and Sans thought he was proud _before_? The human sputtered and dashed away like his pants were on fire, quickly vacating the premise. Giddy and so _happy_ with his hopefully-mate-to-be, he pranced over and embraced her as soon as she put away the gun, nuzzling and purring into her neck. He didn’t like the lingering scent of the human, but a few purposeful nuzzles fixed the problem quickly. He reveled in the softness of her skin and the smooth skirt of her dress. Chuckling, she returned the embrace and patted his back.

“My sweet little lady, so _fierce_. I love it. Never change, mate.” Sans growled, squeezing a little tighter.

“Sans, we’re good friends, but that is _no way_ to ask such a question. And if you don’t move those hands back up, we’re going to have _problems_.” She chastised him. Sheepishly, he grinned and moved his hands up to the small of her back, “Much better.”

He had _such_ good taste. Papyrus was going to love her… as soon as he properly asked if she wanted to be his mate, of course. He was a bit lustful and a literal monster, not an idiot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, forgot to do a thing at the end! Well, not much to say here other than it really amused me to imagine this. I even made a little picture for it, but I'm going to have to link it since I don't know how to insert pictures... wait, lemme try something. Nope. Oh well, you can find the picture on my blog or through here: https://mamamittens.tumblr.com/image/166863409640
> 
> So... Yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, feel free to shoot me a request, yeah?


	6. Coraline-themed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If yandere vibes make you uncomfortable, maybe don't read this chapter. Or themes of helplessness. Oh! And stalking and kidnapping! That too.

I’ve made a terrible mistake. When I saw the small door, I thought it was just a quirk of the house. An… amusing detail of the interior. It was there all my childhood and again during a short visit after college. The first night visiting, I slept in my old room and found a key under my pillow. Unlocking the door revealed… nothing but a brick wall. But then mom and dad disappeared, and my brother too. I thought it was a trick at first, but a day went by and they were still gone. I was alone in this big house for reasons beyond my understanding, no neighbors for miles around and the keys to the cars were gone. I’d have to walk for at least a day to reach anyone. I was alone and scared, sobbing into my knees when I woke up on the third day to an empty house. Then the small door creaked open and a faint whisper caught my ear. I was curious. I looked beyond the door and saw a wonderous swirl of colors, primarily in red, and on the far end of the strange tunnel was an open doorway. Someone waved from the other side. I should have run. I shouldn’t have gone through. But… maybe there wasn’t a choice in the end after all.

When I crawled through to the end, it looked just like my childhood home but… brighter. It seemed to be filled with sunshine and a warm atmosphere, something my actual childhood home lacked because of… well, everyone being gone. Looking to the side, I saw a tall skeleton in a cozy, red sweater and black sweatpants. Hovering in the empty sockets were bright red buttons. Well, sort of. They certainly _looked_ like buttons.

“Uhm… Hello?” I asked, uncertain as to who the oddly chubby looking skeleton was. He grinned and rhythmically tapped his shoes against the floor.

“Anna! It’s so good to finally meet you!” he declared happily, “It was so nice of you to unlock the door for me, I thought I was going to have to wait _forever_ to see you!” he bounded over to me and grasped my hand in his large and warm phalanges. His grip was deceptively tight and his fangs glinted playfully in the light.

“W-Who are you? Do you know where my family went?” I asked, feeling well under half my actual age of twenty-three. He smiled gently and cupped my cheek, wiping away at the dampness under my eye with his right hand.

“Oh, I’m Sans, my sweet. As for your family, I’m afraid they’re… elsewhere for the moment. But I’m so excited to have you _here_! This is the first time I’ve done this, you know! Come, see how wonderful I’ve made everything, just for you!” Sans crooned, tugging on my hand and pulling me into the large kitchen where a rather impressive spread of breakfast food was waiting. Despite my hunger, I was more concerned about other things.

“Did… Did you have something to do with them going missing? What… What are you? Why are you doing this?” I asked, spreading my free arm to gesture at the table filled with food. Sans’ grin fell briefly and he chuckled.

“You know… This is the first time I’ve gotten the chance to be something _besides_ someone else’s ‘ _Other-brother/father/uncle_ ’. I… should have known you’d be… cautious, all things considered. Children are so easy going, so _ready_ to accept a better change in circumstance. Have a seat, and I’ll explain. Please.” Sans asked. A growing sense of dread filled me, but I did as he asked.

“I… _really_ don’t understand what’s going on, Sans.” I pleaded, but he simply hummed and pushed a plate of waffles with strawberries in front of me with a glass of milk. I frowned at the fruit shaped smile and glanced back up at Sans to find he had taken a seat next to me.

“I’ve been here long before your family moved in, my sweet. I watched you grow up through my magic. And I almost invited you in. You were _such_ a sweet child, Anna. Not quite as outgoing as your brother. Quiet. Gentle. But there comes a time in everyone’s life where they seek for companionship beyond themselves. My kind… we feed off of the light within humans. Their love. Determination. We take, but not without giving something in return. Whatever they feel they lack, we provide for as long as they stay. Most last a few years before passing away, no longer able to sustain the both of us. A few, special few, live to be old. I’ve encountered two such humans, such a delight they were.” I felt terror beginning to gnaw at my gut. If he ‘feeds’ off of humans… where is my family?

“Where is my family?” I whispered, feeling sick. Sans didn’t seem to hear me, choosing instead to cut away at his own food and eat a bite of waffles.

“You’re even _more_ special than them, my sweet. If you stay, why, I’d never lose you like those other humans. My father found his super special darling, who gave birth to me and my brother, who lives elsewhere. So sweet, they were. You remind me of them, just a little bit.” He whispered as though confiding in me, “It’s traditional to ask for permission from the family first but… they had their reservations, I’m afraid. But I’m _sure_ that once they see how _happy_ we are, they’ll change their minds!” Sans proclaimed happily, finally looking up at me. He frowned for a moment in confusion. At that moment, I decided it would be a better option to take the risk of walking to my closest neighbor. But how do I leave without him stopping me?

“I…. I-I—” I didn’t know what to say, my racing heart beating away any semblance of thought.

“Anna, my sweet, you’re not eating! You don’t look well, either. Perhaps you should lay down?” Sans suggested sweetly.

“I-I shouldn’t sleep in jeans, Sans. A-And I don’t have—”

“Oh, I’ve already prepared you a wardrobe full of clothes! And it’s so cute you still cuddle Sammy, I took the liberty of moving him to your new room, I hope you don’t mind.” Sans crooned, standing in his seat. Distantly, I shuddered. How long had he been watching me sleep if he knew what I called the worn stuffed Labrador?

“I-I’d much rather wear my own pajamas, thank you though—” I said, nervously slipping out of my seat and backing away from Sans and towards the door. He smiled softly at me in understanding.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll change your mind once you see how pretty they are, my sweet. Here, I’ll fetch them for you!” Sans eagerly left the room. I waited for three pounding heartbeats before bolting towards the door, kneeling down to grasp the handle and turn it—but it wouldn’t budge. It was locked.

“T-The key—” I whispered frantically, but I couldn’t recall when I’d last seen it.

“It’s right here, my sweet.” I jolted and spun on my heels, gasping at the sight of him looming over me, the key gleaming in the light from a cord around his neck. He tucked it back under his sweater and unfurled his free hand to reveal entirely too small red pajamas, “I had hoped that father was wrong. That I could let you love me on your own time. He had to do this too, you know, and he made sure we were prepared. You tried to run, **_but_** **_I won’t let you leave me so easily_**.” Sans whispered as the world seemed to darken and shadows thickened along the walls. Red glowing strings unfurled from behind him, spooling on the ground before racing towards me. I scrambled back but they wrapped around my legs, yanking down my arms to my sides before winding around me. Despite how thin they were, they were so strong. Thrashing barely moved them as I was dragged in between his legs as he gently straddled me. He gently grasped my face with both hands as several threads held up a thin bottle of black liquid.

“S-Sans, w-what is that? P-Please don’t—” he shoved two fingers to hold down my tongue as his other hand pinched my nose and the bottle was tipped over. The black liquid dripped down like honey and _burned_ in my mouth. I tried to keep it out, but it seemed to force its way down my throat anyway, the taste overbearingly sweet. It felt like I was punched in the gut, my head reeling as Sans removed his hands and I felt so _hot_. A fever-wracked my body with pain and heat as I twisted in my cocoon, finally earning freedom from the threads as they seemed to loosen. I gasped cool air and sighed in relief when the pain finally stopped. Weakly, I tried to get up but fell back down onto a pile of rope. Confused, I looked around and realized I was buried and tangled up in red rope… no, _thread_. Shaking in growing horror, I glanced up and almost screamed. Sans’ face was _huge_ and inches from my tiny body. Gently, he picked away the threads as I curled up in a ball, mortified at how naked I was since my clothes didn’t shrink with me. I see why he picked up the pajamas first.

“Shhh, my sweet, I’ve got you. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.” Sans swore as he pushed me into his cupped palm. I didn’t realize I was crying as he pushed the pajamas to brush against me, “Put these on, my sweet, and I’ll show you to your room. You can sleep then, I promise.” Numbly, I pulled on the red cotton clothes and curled back into a tight ball.

“…I wanna go home and see my family.” I sobbed pitifully, feeling weak and pathetic. Shudders wracked my body as I tried to keep it together. Curled up as I was, I fit neatly in his palm, which glowed a dim red and felt so _warm_. He curled his hand, caging me in as he cooed.

“This is your home now, my sweet… I’m afraid I may have come on a bit too strong, but I’ll make it up to you. We have plenty of time, after all.” Sans reassured me, but as he gently placed me on a bed just a bit bigger than his hand I couldn’t help but feel terrified. The bed, soft as it was, was only placed on the top of a dresser with a large mirror. Beside the bed was a stand, a short distance away was a dresser appropriately sized for me, and nothing else. I was exposed in this pseudo-bedroom. I pulled the blanket around me and tried to muffle my panicked sobs into the pillow. Closing my eyes did nothing to erase the image of Sans softly smiling down at me in the reflection. Sleep came soon after, exhaustion pulling me under as Sans hummed a sweet tune nearby. _I have to get out of here_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you couldn't tell (from my Tumblr alone), I really like the movie, Coraline. And for whatever reason, this is what comes of mashing the two things together. You know, assuming that 'Other-whatever' is a population and could reproduce with a particular mate. This was /so/ weird to write, and I have no idea why. I guess the Other Mother didn't strike me as a 'healthy relationship dynamics' kinda gal and it just carried over to Sans? *shrugs*
> 
> Anyway, since no one has really shot anything my way, I figure that the next chapter will be a toss-up between A) Colorful resets and Sans doesn't take it well (ending up a bit... yandere when he finds Anna again, IDK, maybe he'll be in Horrortale and panic, thinking he'd never see HIS Anna again. Feel free to suggest, yeah?) or B) a follow-up for the "Big Bad Wolf" thing I wrote a while ago that quite a few people liked (and have been wondering about). I'll do the first eventually for sure, but I just wanted a bit more confirmation before I sit down and write the next chapter.
> 
> I know I said this is a one-shot zone, but for me, that just means that if there isn't sufficient interest, then that's the end of the story. Unlike with the AU bits in It's Going Tibia Cute Time, where each one was a story that was carried in parts and intended to be that way, so eventually, it WOULD be continued. If you like a chapter/story, then that's great, but assume that unless at least a couple of people express interest in what happens next, then that's the end of that. Sorry that this wasn't ironed out before-hand, this is kinda the first time I've done this sort of thing.
> 
> I've been a bit absent, mostly because school has slammed me into the ground with increasing assignments and Christmas is around the corner (I need to get presents ASAP), so I've been binging on Youtube or drawing to destress because if I write fanfiction, I feel bad, because my assignments coming up are primarily essay-based.
> 
> Anyway, feel free to comment, request, or whatever here or on my Tumblr. I hope you enjoyed this chapter~


	7. Something Fishy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FlamingoBlubber and Mikrebyle's request: Mafia/apocalypse and yandere!Sans mermaid!Anna respectively. I'd advise not reading this chapter if any of the implications bother you. Also, I know it's not /quite/ unwilling, but she's certainly not going with a full-disclosure, so I thought it was close enough.
> 
> Also, pure coincidence, FlamingoBlubber beta'd this chapter for typos, errors, and content (and should be my beta reader for future updates on any of my stories, on the not-so-off-chance I forget to include this information before a chapter, until stated otherwise). So thanks, chickadee~

Sans ground the bud of a cigar between his fangs, disappointed to hear that his plant for the upstart gang on the west side of the city had been offed that afternoon. Pops was going to be pissed. The plant was a promising little shit, it was a fucking waste, to be honest. Sans fussed with the silver buttons of his waistcoat and stood up, ready to leave the safe house he was supposed to meet the plant in. Suddenly, the door slammed open, a damp lizard monster panting for breath with a gun leveled at his face. Upon seeing the supposedly dead plant, Sans lowered his gun.

“Ya look a bit under the weather, kid. What the fuck happened, I thought you were dead?” the monster shook his head, green scales still wet and the scent of polluted water filling the room.

“I-I thought I was, boss… They knew I was a spy, tied my legs to cinderblocks and tossed me into the river. I-I should’ve been dead—but you won’t believe what happened!” Sans was surprised that they tried to drown the monster, let alone in that wasteland of a river. Water pollution was kind of a hazard after the world fell to shit. Things had been getting better under… _benevolent_ gang rule. Roads were getting patched back up, disease under control, and he even saw a new field of grass in an old parking lot the other day. But water and air pollution wasn’t something that could be fixed overnight. He’d have to send the poor bastard to a doctor to make sure he didn’t bring any nasty diseases with him.

“What? They can’t tie a proper knot?” Sans grumbled, flicking the abused cigar into a puddle of what was probably water and piss.

“No! A mermaid saved me!” Sans froze.

“…What? You mean a monster actually lives in that cesspool?” the monster shook their head, flinging water around.

“No! She was _literally_ a mermaid! Monsters don’t look human, the closest we get is… well, you, pretty much, but from the waist up, she was a _human girl_ , with a tail!” Sans considered the news. Did a human mutate? With all the radiation being thrown around a few decades back, he wouldn’t be surprised, but humans usually didn’t mutate well in a short span of time.

“What was this… mermaid girl doing there?” Sans pressed, genuinely curious how _anything_ could survive in those waters. The only place you could get fish easily anymore was from a few ponds and deep in the ocean. Any body of water near a city was bound to be too polluted to support life beyond bacteria and diseases.

“I don’t know; I didn’t really ask! But she seemed to be trapped by debris in the river, boss, so she’s probably still there!” Sans nodded, figuring that he had time before his next ‘appointment’ to do some investigating.

“I’ll check it out. Get yourself to a doctor, kid. We can’t afford another outbreak.” At least not before Alphys managed to rig up a dual purification system for the air and water. An apocalyptic war does a lot of damage on the environment. Hell, their little slice of home was barely livable when they moved in and started a settlement. Sighing, Sans took a ‘shortcut’ to the only pier that the gang could have tried to drown someone off of. The others were too damaged to risk the walk over rotted boards, or the river was cluttered too much for any aquatic life, let alone a _mermaid_.

The smell alone was enough to leave Sans breathless. By choice. The river _reeked_ of death and decay. Sans mentally prepared himself for what was likely going to be a horrifically mutated human-fish hybrid by staring up at the evening sky. Distantly, he tried to recall if the sky was as colorful before the war, soft orange and pink smeared across the horizon. Puffy clouds just slightly navy blue with rain catching bright red refractions of light. Even the city he lived in seemed beautiful, just a silhouette of burnt amber despite the corruption eating away at the world around it. Then he heard a soft splash of water over the slow chug of the river draining waste. Glancing down, his eyes met a pair of dull amber eyes in a human face too pale to be healthy, choppy hair almost black and slick with water.

“…Are… are you the man the lizard called ‘boss’?” a soft, melodic voice asked, absolutely enchanting Sans despite himself. She was submerged from the chin down, but he could see flickers of her pale skin beneath the ugly sludge green water. Sans wondered if the mermaid would look better in clean water, if the lean and hollowed cheeks would be filled out with a healthy diet. All things considered, there were worse ‘what ifs’ to get lost in. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered how lucky he was to see a miracle like her, a legend dwelling in the cesspool of corruption in this day and age.

“That I am, little fishy… why did you help the kid?” Sans asked, wondering if the mermaid worked for another gang. There was no way she’d last long _here_ if she was on her own.

“He was drowning… isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?” she asked with a slight frown, eyes wide and questioning. Sans couldn’t help but snort. Not many folks running about doing charity work these days. Not unless it got them something in return.

“Yeah… most would agree that you’re _supposed_ to save people when you can. Not common practice in these parts, though. Speaking of, why are you here, of all places? Can’t imagine it’s healthy for you.” Sans drawled, giving a sly glance to a slow-moving pile of… something drifting down the river. The mermaid pushed the pile away from herself with a slim hand, webbing visible between the fingers.

“Got lost. Was supposed to meet my family in the ocean after checking to see if the conflicts had settled but then the rain came and I was washed into this area. The debris is too thick, too sharp where it should not be, to go through right now. I will wait for the high tide.” Sans gave the mermaid a considering look.

“Are you sure you can make it that long? These aren’t friendly waters for pretty fish like you.” Sans asked, not sure why he even cared in the first place. She looked uncertain, her nose briefly dipping back under the water before she rose back up.

“…Probably.” Sans crouched down, scowling a little at how much worse the smell got.

“Look, I owe ya for saving the kid’s life, so… not sure if I can carry you to the ocean. That’s more than an hour’s drive from here and I’m pretty sure you need to stay wet, but I can at least get you food. What do you eat?” Sans asked, feeling a bit of odd emotion in his Soul when she smiled at him hopefully, her teeth just a little too sharp to be human, and only a little green like the water. Truthfully… he _could_ just take a shortcut, but he was curious about the little mermaid. He dealt with shitty people every day, but this mermaid clearly wouldn’t be one of them.

“Any kind of fish. I eat seaweed too, but I’ve never had surface food before.” She said softly, lifting her upper body onto the pier. Sans was surprised to find that she was entirely unmarked, save for a thin cut along her collar bone and between her breasts. Scales were dusted along the sides of her ribs, surrounding thin gills and providing decent coverage of her breasts in dull orange and brown bralette. Clearly, the water quality was affecting her coloration and Sans couldn’t help but wonder what her real colors were.

“Alright… I’ll see what I can do, little fishy.” Sans reached out and thoughtlessly bopped her nose with the tip of his finger. She looked so surprised that he couldn’t help but laugh. It felt good. Almost relaxing, in fact. Something he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“Anna.” Sans paused in the middle of standing, hands braced on his knees, grasping the worn material of his slacks. He looked at her and smiled softly.

“Hello Anna, I’m Sans.”

\--I think this one might be a bit longer than intended--

Sans growled, his grip on his gun tense as he scowled at the shitty upstarts he had to wipe out. No one had a right to make people pay a toll to stay safe in the city but _him_ , and he didn’t work like that. Life was difficult enough without that kind of shit. He glared around the warehouse and noticed the many boxes of goods. Preserved food, for the most part, something desperately needed for most of the citizens in the city. And… ah. A box filled with canned tuna. It was just yesterday that he promised to bring food, he didn’t expect to find just the ticket the very next day. He sent a text to a clean-up crew and opened the crate, taking several cans of tuna before zipping through a shortcut.

He saw Anna this time, probably because of the large amount of garbage thrown onto the shore. Was she trying to clear it out to swim better?

“Anna, my little fishy, I bring tuna!” Sans proclaims loudly, allowing Anna to hear him and toss what looked like a lunchbox out of the river. She seemed… paler than before. She swam up to him, eagerly leaning up onto the pier as he revealed the tuna cans.

“Sans! Thank you so much, it feels like I haven’t eaten in ages!” Anna cheered and Sans smiled back. It had been a while since he’d been thanked so sincerely.

“It’s no problem, Anna. Here, let me get that for you.” Sans offered, prying open the can and revealing the shredded tuna within. Anna ate the meat as delicately as possibly, trying not to waste any of it, but it was clear she was hungry.

“You’re so much nicer than the other guy, Sans.” That drew Sans attention quickly, something in his Soul souring. Couldn’t he have something nice to _himself_ for once? Honestly, Anna was _literally_ a miracle, and somehow he can’t just… keep her?

“Other guy?” Anna shrugged, getting another pinch of tuna.

“Yeah. He keeps coming around, wanting me to agree to… something, I’m not sure what. I think he wants an exhibit, ‘cause I’m not much use out of the water, to be honest. Barely of use _in_ water.” Anna declared breezily, making Sans snort despite himself. There honestly wasn’t any telling what the weirdo wanted with Anna, but his temper was already… touchy these days. Rarely did he get time to himself, and forget decent company. His bro and pops are in another settlement, working out trade, leaving him in charge. He just wanted to… put Anna in an aquarium and keep the pretty miracle for himself.

“Sounds weird… does he have a name?” Sans asked. Anna nodded her head, fiddling with an empty can until Sans opened the next one.

“Yeah… he called himself Boris. He was a human, but… I don’t like him much. He doesn’t… feel right?” Anna tried to explain as Sans’ mind reeled. Boris. _Fucking Boris_?! That rat bastard has been stealing boys and girls left and right, selling them off to who knows where. No one was safe from him, apparently not even his little miracle. Sans had no doubt that Anna, a _genuine fucking mermaid_ , would go for a high price on appearance alone. If she didn’t live in such toxic waters, Boris probably would have dragged Anna out himself. Sans considered a bit of lore on mermaids… couldn’t at least one walk on land?

“Can’t a mermaid turn into a human? Like… I think I remember a story where one did.” Sans frowned, trying to remember the old story, but his memory failed him. Anna shrugged.

“Not… _really_? I mean, a healthy mermaid can, for a while at least. Hurts to walk around, though. And I couldn’t do it after I woke up in this river, it’s too toxic, my systems are already overtaxed just pulling _oxygen_ out of this mess. I keep my head up above water as often as possible, because at least it doesn’t hurt to breath like this.” Anna blithely replied like it wasn’t a big deal she was _constantly in pain_. Why doesn’t he just keep her again? Wait… _why not_? Clearly, her family didn’t care enough if they sent her near civilization, the horrific mess it is, without anyone else to look after her. _He’d_ never do that to Anna. He’d keep her safe. He _will_ keep her safe. From everything, the pretty little miracle she is, why should he risk anything less? But where can he keep her in this crumbling city?

“Huh… I think I have an idea, little fishy. What kind of water can you live in? Health-wise?” Sans asked, already planning to frame his idea like it was temporary. And it would be… right up until she never wanted to leave.

“Well, I can do with freshwater, which is hard to come by these days to be honest, but saltwater is best. My family is versatile with water-type, but my scales are healthiest in saltwater, which matters the most out of everything. And I guess it feels better to breathe salt water. Ugh, I miss seeing red on my tail…” Anna whined like a child, pouting at no one in particular. For a moment, he tried to imagine it, a healthy Anna, swimming happily in circles for him alone. He narrowly muffled his growling, the image was so appealing to him. It may be selfish of him, but he wanted at least _one_ damn thing to himself in this fucking world. And that thing would be Anna, the sweet, unassuming miracle. All his. _Soon_.

“I think I can rig something up until we find a better solution. Not many roads good enough to transport a tank without spilling or sealing you inside for an hour. Or trucks that can handle the load, for that matter.” It wasn’t a lie. It was just… ignoring he could basically teleport. He’d need to figure out something to keep her from running off once she’s healthy though. He doubted she’d find her way through the city on her own, but it’s better to be prepared. He looked at Anna in consideration for a moment before nodding, “Pretty sure the aquarium has been raided to high heaven, but there’s probably at least a pool I can fix up. It’s a big city.” He already knew he didn’t want to put her in an aquarium. Too open, too obvious. But there was at least one ritzy hotel that has a pool on the upper levels that he can secure easily. And as for wandering miracles… a tracking implant would do, with a collar to cover it up in case she runs. Anna seemed so excited as she drummed her hands on the pier, he almost felt bad. _Almost_.

“I can’t wait! I’ve been trying to clear a path, but I doubt I’m lucky enough to be totally clear when the high tide hits finally.” Sans knew she wouldn’t. Too much garbage in the way, and if that wasn’t the case, he’d ensure it. It was time to be selfish for once, do something to protect precious life rather than take it. Sans smiled at Anna and brushed his knuckles across her cheek, noting the clammy, slimy feel to it. He made a note to wash her off before putting her in her proper home.

\--Yep, a bit longer than intended—

It was honestly easier than he had originally anticipated. The perfect place was right in the heart of his territory, though the building had yet to be cleaned completely. He kept the VIP pool area and top floors to himself, even going so far as to clean them. Not that they needed much. Apparently no one wanted to try and live the highlife from the start of this hellhole to now, so the biggest problem was dust and the pool being stagnant and filled with gross algae and pests. Cleaning _that_ up was the longest part, taking almost a week to get it back into shape and changing the system to a saltwater pool. The heating system also needed to be patched up, but it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle himself. The hardest part was figuring out how to make the saltwater pool in the first place, but luckily, the aquarium wasn’t raided for their special salt, since it wasn’t edible and no one wanted tropical fish when shit hit the fan.

 _During_ that time, he made an effort to organize his best men to run interference with _fucking Boris_ to keep him away from his precious miracle. He didn’t get the chance to shoot the man, but several of his little rats were shot trying to approach the area, so that was a bonus. When everything was ready, and he had moved his stuff into the VIP suite just under the pool area, he visited that polluted pier one last time with a cheerful grin. Anna looked tired and unwell, clearly sick now but she smiled at him anyway.

“S _ans_!...” She murmured, reaching out with a limp hand.

“I’ve got everything set up, little fishy, all that’s missing is you.” Sans declared bracing himself on the pier and reaching down to pull her out of the water. She was heavy, no doubt about that, but not nearly as much as she should be, and with a little magic Sans had no trouble. Anna giggled a little and laid across his nice suit limp as a ragdoll, the smell of pollution almost making him gag. He felt bad that she had to _breathe_ that shit for any amount of time and wasn’t surprised she was finally full-out sick. Only more proof, that he didn’t actually need, that she was better off in his care. Carefully, he moved forward, taking a shortcut into the showers in the VIP pool area where he had a chair set up already.

You couldn’t really _clean_ a fish, not like a human, their natural ‘slime’ protecting their scales, but _Anna_ needed a rinse at the very least before he put her in the saltwater pool. And it wouldn’t hurt to scrub her hair clean. He set her down gently in the chair and began to methodically rise her off with water. Idly, as the blackish green slime was washed away, he noted that her scales were a pale brown color with darker patches, delicate and thin fins trailing down from where her belly button… was? He guessed mermaids did live birth as opposed to eggs like most fish. He was careful to clean them off, not wanting to possibly hurt her by tearing them. Her main fins got the same attention as well. When it came to her hair, he just stuck to regular shampoo and conditioner since it seemed completely human. It was only when he was rinsing out the sickly green-brown muck that he noticed the strands of her hair were actually a blazing red. The tips were clearly split—likely from having to hack it off after it got tangled in debris, and he honestly considered it a crime.

When he got to her face and neck, he noted how warm her skin finally was getting, likely from the warm water, and decided he liked it better this way. Her eyes fluttered open and her gills along her ribs flared before she took a deep breath of fresh air. She hummed happily as Sans turned off the water and carried her to the pool and waded in, having long since taken off everything but his tank top and boxers. She actually _sighed_ dreamily when he was deep enough that she was almost completely submerged in his arms, gills flaring and tail fluttering with movement. Reluctantly, he let her roll out of his arms and submerge herself entirely in the water.

He grinned as she happily swam in the deep end, about fifteen feet deep, movements a bit sloppy with illness but elegant nonetheless. He knew he made the right choice when she surfaced in the middle of an inner tube he playfully inflated the other day for himself and propelled herself back to his side. She looked better already, color returning to her features.

“It’s great, Sans! Thank you, so much! I’m going to sleep for a while now, though.” Anna said apologetically. Sans mentally pushed forward his plans for her collar and tracking device with a pleased grin.

“No problem, my little miracle, consider this your home, yeah?” Sans said, eager to see her with pretty red scales and wearing a collar. He had maybe a week or two tops before she started to question when she could go home. He planned to make the most of it. Once she realized she was here for good, he doubted that she’d be… terribly accepting of it. But he didn’t topple the chokehold that the previous ‘family’ had on this city with his charm alone. It took careful planning and patience. She’d accept her place here eventually. _He’d make sure of it_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everything was to your liking! Next up should be Big Bad Wolf follow up (on a literal note, I might be updating "It's Going Tiba Cute Time" or "Monster I Have Become" next, story-wise, and cycling back through to this story. It's a tossup right now and I have a couple of big projects due soon that I need to work on).
> 
> As always, feel free to request particular material, it doesn't have to be listed in this story or anything, and with particular characters (or if you're dying to know how something turns out, you can ask for a follow-up) or just tell me whatcha thought about this chapter! You can tell me here or on my Tumblr, which has the same name as here under a blog that's mostly dedicated to showing my latest attempt to do digital art (Winter's Grasp).


	8. Big Bad Wolf Returns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FlamingoBlubber Beta'd this chapter, so thanks Chickadee~

Ayramite, FlamingoBlubber, and anonymous from Tumblr: follow up on Big Bad Wolf

 

 

            “Sans, if you do not cease your ridiculous pacing, I’ll make you run laps around the forest.” Papyrus growled and Sans immediately froze in place, shooting a glare over his shoulder at his brother. He was an intimidating skeleton, taller than Sans by two feet and thin. In his adolescence, Sans felt like a scruffy mutt next to Papyrus, his older brother always somehow impeccably clean. Fur brushed and frame somehow elegant and predatory, even in his youth. Bloody orange eye lights glared back at him. If it wasn’t for the newly polished obsidian armor Papyrus wore, Sans would have assumed his brother didn’t care that Anna was meeting up with them. Mostly to finally meet Papyrus, but they were also going on a date afterwards. He needed to properly woo his would-be-mate after all. He nearly jumped when he picked up the faint sound of familiar footsteps nearby.

            “Anna!” Sans couldn’t stop himself from saying her name if he wanted to as he looked down the path in excitement, much to Papyrus’ amusement.

            “You are ridiculous, brother.” Papyrus quietly commented, though Sans barely heard as a familiar red hood peaked out between the trees beyond the curve of the path. Sans ignored the feeling of his tail whipping around as he dashed forward, only to choke as Papyrus caught the scruff of his hood with one hand, “At least let her approach first… I haven’t seen you this energetic since you were a pup before your first hunt.” Sans ignored Papyrus in favor of Anna’s amused grin.

            “Hey, Sans. And you must be Papyrus.” Anna declared cheerfully once she stopped in front of them, Sans playfully reaching out to embrace her but not quite reaching thanks to his brother. She was wearing a cream colored sleeveless dress today with a dark brown vest and sensible brown boots, her signature red cape the brightest splash of color and easily drawing his eyes. Not that she needed help with that.

            “Indeed I am, and you must be the unfortunate human that has caught my lazy brother’s eye. Admittedly, anyone who can inspire responsibility in him already has my admiration.” Papyrus conceded, finally letting Sans go. Sans was quick to embrace Anna and he made a point to rub his face into her shoulder. She smelled like baked bread, cinnamon, and fresh water; quite a bit different from his own, rougher scent. She laughed at his antics and returned the embrace, mimicking him by pressing her face against his vertebrae. Sans froze, mind buzzing with conflicting thoughts. She didn’t know that was the way his kind expressed romantic interest _but she totally just expressed romantic interest_ —fuck, wait, no she didn’t!—wait, if she didn’t know, then was he not being clear? Oops.

            “I prefer to go by Anna, but yeah, I guess I am.” Anna replied to Papyrus, shocking Sans back into the present moment as she pulled away. Sans let out a small whimper, feeling a bit cold despite the warm weather now that she wasn’t in his arms. Papyrus scoffed tapping Sans’ skull with a knuckle.

            “Alright, you whining pup, I suppose I can get to know your human later. Go have your date and stop complaining.” Papyrus scolded Sans, inspiring a bright chuckle from Anna.

            “Sure thing, boss!” Sans eagerly declared, grabbing Anna’s hand and tugging her off the path, “C’mon, I have the perfect place to show you!” Anna laughed, waving back at Papyrus as she allowed Sans to pull her along.

            “Don’t be afraid to pull his ears if he misbehaves, human!” Papyrus helpfully shouted after them, Sans reflexively flinching at the advice. Usually, pulling on an ear was a way to discipline children, and he… well, he certainly wasn’t a _good boy_ as a pup. Tails worked too but the automatic response is to bite back, so ears were preferred. Though, after Anna’s threat to that dumbass human male the other week, Sans didn’t think she needed to pull his ears to make him behave. But a less violent alternative to being shot wouldn’t hurt in the long run…

            “Where are we going, Sans?” Anna asked breathlessly about five minutes later. Sans sheepishly slowed down to let Anna catch her breath.

            “There’s this nice little clearing with a creek beside it. I’ve got some food set up in a basket… thought you wouldn’t mind having a picnic with me…” Sans fought against his blush, claws combing through the fluff of his hood nervously. But when he glanced at Anna she was beaming, eyes catching the light like honey.

            “Sounds great, Sans. How far away is it?” Anna asked, squeezing his hand with a soft smile.

            “Just a little farther. You can hear the water from here… er, well, I can hear it at least.” Sans amended, keeping in mind that the human senses weren’t as sharp as his own. Anna paused before shaking her head.

            “Nah, I can hear it too. Let’s go!” Anna goaded, moving towards the sound of water that they could hear. Sans let her take the lead, happily dogging her steps. He happily took the opportunity to watch how her skirt moved along her ass but quickly looked up, unwilling to get his ears pulled for the offense, should she take exception to it. The trees thinned out when they entered the clearing, dark green grass dotted with wild flowers. It was a pretty large area, the creek just on the other side, and right in the middle was a worn blanket with a basket set up.

            “Pretty neat, isn’t it?” Sans asked, eager to see her reaction. Anna smiled widely at him and nodded her head.

            “It’s beautiful, Sans!” Anna hugged him happily and, not one to deny her, Sans returned the embrace. This time, when she pulled away, Sans kept an arm looped around her waist and walked with her to the picnic.

            “It’s not much, but I hunted and foraged around for most of the ingredients. Obviously, the tea I bought.” Sans explained as they sat down and Sans started pulling out the food. Sans pulled out a plate with beef slices, still warm from when he cooked them, cheese, and a loaf of bread. He also pulled out a few apples and strawberries. He had to trade for the strawberries, but it was worth it. Then he handed her a sealed container of warm tea and presented an apple cinnamon pie.

            “Not much? Sans, all of this looks great! I really would have been fine with just bread, apples, and cheese, Sans.” Anna explained, teasingly bumping shoulders with him. Sans blushed but shook his head.

            “This is the first date, Anna, how could I impress you with just that? I don’t know if I’m just being _really_ subtle or not, but I’d like a whole lot more than just one date!” Sans rambled, sending her into a fit of laughter.

            “I noticed, Sans. You were kind of obvious when you tried to call me ‘mate’ and kept scenting me.” Sans froze. So _she did know?!_ Sans looked at Anna in surprise.

            “I’ve lived next to this forest my whole life, my family has too for _generations_ , do you really think no one in my family tree has ever met a monster that lives here? It’s a pretty common declaration of intent to scent near the neck. If you just wanted to be friends, you would have scented the top of my head, probably with your chin.” Anna explained and Sans felt like an idiot. Monsters weren’t sociable, to put it lightly, but it makes sense that she would have heard about their customs before. She didn’t run screaming when she saw him after all.

            “So… when you scented me _back_ …?” Sans asked, staring into Anna’s eyes for answers and she nodded.

            “Yep. I don’t think I’m ready to be your _mate_ , but I do like you. You’re cute and funny. I mean, don’t get me wrong, you have an issue respecting my personal space sometimes and have a weird fixation on my ass—yes, I noticed that too, Sans—but you do know where to draw the line. And you don’t assume I can’t do shit on my own either, and you know how much _that_ pisses me off.” Sans nodded vigorously, his grin feeling a bit dopey for his tastes. She _liked_ him! She noticed he stared at her ass a lot too, but didn’t seem to mind as long as he kept his hands to himself and didn’t focus _only_ on her ass. He could do that! She had beautiful eyes that he didn’t mind staring into, and her laugh was so soothing to his ears! She giggled, and he grinned. Yeah, like that! He had to take a moment to pull himself together again.

            “Right, let’s not waste the food, my lady.” Sans grumbled after coughing to try and get rid of his goofy grin. Anna agreed as they split the food between them, making sandwiches and snacking on the fruit. The both of them leaning against each other lightly and enjoying the fair weather. In fact, it was warm enough that Sans was starting to feel drowsy from the food, company, and sun gently warming his bones. Sans shook his head a bit, jolting Anna from her own drowsy state, and he chuckled, “Does a nap sound good to you, my lady?” Sans asked. Anna looked over at him, polishing off a strawberry and sipping at her tea.

            “Yeah… I didn’t want to say anything, cause you tried really hard for our date, but it really _is_ good napping weather.” Anna replied softly, cheeks a warm pink. Sans laughed a deep, rumbling chuckle, and nodded. Quickly, he put away what little food and drink was left and set the basket aside. Sans leaned back and gestured for Anna to join him. Happily, she did, her head resting on his sleeved shoulder as she turned to face him. Sleepily, Sans pressed his fangs against her cheek before letting the quiet sound of breezes and the gentle creek lull him to sleep. He dreamed of warm cinnamon cookie scented embraces, only briefly waking when he heard someone approach before recognizing Papyrus’ amused huff. He rolled over, taking Anna with him and tucking her against his ribs, covering her small form with his own.

\--Too cute—

            Papyrus huffed. It was well into afternoon and Sans was still on his date with Anna. It wasn’t difficult to track him down to a secluded clearing. He supposed it was too much to hope that Sans would _completely_ give up on being lazy. Papyrus swiped the basket and climbed up into a tree to keep a good vantage point. He knew Sans noticed him coming, especially considering Anna was now very difficult to see past his lazy brother’s back. It was actually, dare he say it, _cute_. As well as reassuring to know that Sans trusted him to guard his very exposed back. He probably wouldn’t mind it if Papyrus took whatever was left of their date food for himself. He’d give them a few more hours, but no more. It wasn’t _proper_ to have a first date last well into the night, especially if they slept for most of it. Besides, Anna _probably_ had family that would get worried if she didn’t return home before dark.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! I'm completely stuck on my other stories, so here we are. (Minor things, really, but I'm a bit burnt out from the end of semester stuff, and I still have a final to go to and a whole week of intensive intersession class to make it through). But it's December, folks! So, if anyone wants holiday themed stuff, ask! I've got a few ideas in the works (the yandere Sans after a reset, FlamingoBlubber's naga!Sans, pirate/knotting request, UltimateGamer101's request for mermaid Sans, and I think that's it) but none of these scream Christmas, so have at it! It's easier for me to start and finish a short bit than argue if what I've got planned is good pacing or not :P
> 
> So yeah, feel free to comment here or on my Tumblr with a request! Hope you guys enjoyed this follow-up chapter!


	9. Troubled Waters*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains dubious consent, aphrodisiacs, heat, semi-permanent Soul bonding, and knotting. Fair warning. If any of these subjects make you uncomfortable, feel free to skip this chapter.
> 
> The asterisk in the chapter title indicates that steamy/lemony material is present. Typically anything more involved than kissing, but obviously there's a bit more than just that in this chapter.
> 
> Also, FlamingoBlubber beta'd this chapter~

FlamingoBlubber: Pirates and knotting.

 

            I loved the ocean, I _really_ did. Ever since I was little I’ve lived near the ocean. My parents ran a small fishing company, which my brother took over only a few years ago and expanded to Cove Port Royal, a large port city, after they retired. It just made sense to live in a coastal town. I can remember skipping rocks with Brian when we were young… well, that wasn’t all we did. We both had a gift, just like our parents. Brian was naturally charming and was capable of carrying heavy loads despite his lean frame, beyond the normal human capacity actually. And me? I could create things and give them life.

Pictures moved at my touch, sand sculptures danced, and I could even make shapes out of the ocean waters. Any water, really, but there’s something hilarious about catching a fish by surprise and making an even bigger fish around them. Sometimes I’d make birds and have them circle high above with fish inside, but it felt mean… and one-time sea gulls dive bombed a small school of fish and some trauma just stays with you. But we spent a lot of time on the shores together. Right up to the day he moved away to hold down the main office while I watched over the local branch. There really wasn’t much to do: the sailors were pretty self-sufficient, our profits were steady, and most of the paperwork was handled by my brother anyway. It was a bit… lonely, since our parents were traveling for some time now, but it was fine. I still went to the shore, played and relaxed, and generally kept busy. Every once in a while, a busy-body would come around, asking if I was engaged yet. I _was_ _technically_ getting a bit old to not be at least engaged yet, since I was twenty years old as of last July, but I had no interest in getting married. Which was why Brian’s next letter surprised me so much.

His letter asked after my health, if I had done anything of interest lately, and also detailed his upcoming contract with another trading company. They had a bigger reach, but didn’t have the boats to spare for smaller voyages like our company could. We would be helping them trade more stock and keep up a good revenue while the longer voyages go through. The _problem_ was that the company or rather, the man in charge, Paul Bernstein, had an unmarried son and refused to sign the contract until I had at least ‘considered’ the young man. Brian was quite insistent that the choice was mine—and that there was no way I would ever like ‘Charles’. I was concerned that Mr. Bernstein would withhold the contract until I was forced to marry Charles, but I had _no_ problem with making the option as unappealing as possible for the man. _I_ didn’t need to have a working relationship with him after all, and Brian all but gave me a blank check to do so. All I needed to do was pack up and take the next boat to Cove Port Royal to meet with him. Luckily, an old family friend, Rocky, was captain of the fishing boat going just a little beyond and was happy enough to take me.

Rocky was a portly man at fifty-three years old, skin a golden brown, hair a pale gray from sunlight and age, and a strange accent I could never quite decipher. It was hidden well, mostly hidden in the way he rolled his ‘r’s and cut his ‘t’s short, but definitely there. He laughed when he saw me carrying a large suitcase, easily embracing me with the scent of the sea and fish brine.

“Did you at least remember to pack a dress or three, laddie?” Rocky asked, gesturing to my simple tunic and pants tucked neatly into worn boots. I snorted as I walked with him up the gangway.

“And why would I need three?” Rocky cackled, onyx eyes glinting with mirth as he took my luggage from me.

“At least give the lad a chance to make the grave mistake of assuming you’re a meek lady! His expression will be priceless, just you wait!” Rocky assured me and I couldn’t help but agree with him.

“Alright, fine… I packed _two_. Just in case.” I waited a moment for him to stop laughing, his barks of amusement drawing the eye of most of his crew on board prepping for departure. “Where am I staying, by the way? Somewhere down below, I’m assuming.” I asked, but he shook his head.

“I’ve got the room in the captain’s quarters. I don’t use the bed half the time during a voyage anyway, got to keep an eye on the men. Keeps up morale for them to see me with them, bringing in the fish and what have you. I remember you helping your dad cook, the chef wouldn’t mind an extra hand. A bit safer than running around on deck for the first time.” Rocky explained, moving towards the heavy doors on the stern of the ship where the captain’s quarters were held. It was spacious, mostly holding a work desk with materials, a large book shelf on the right side of the room, and a landscape window along the back. The bed was tucked away in the left corner, more than enough room for the both of us should we sleep at the same time. Rocky was basically an uncle, and as ‘inappropriate’ as it was for us to share a room (at both of our ages and unmarried to boot), I could still remember sharing a room with Brian for the first ten years of my life. This _honestly_ wasn’t that different. If anyone had a problem, they could drink a gallon of sea brine for all I cared.

“Sounds like a plan, Rocky. This shouldn’t take more than three months, right?” Rocky nodded, dropping off my luggage and tapping on the map pinned to the desk.

“Yep. As long as we have mostly good weather and wind. Don’t worry, laddie, I’ve taken this route a dozen times, at _least_.” Rocky reassured me and I laughed.

\--Here’s the trouble! Boy did that take a while…—

It was week six. I mostly just helped the chef clean up and cook. When the crew wasn’t working, I mingled with them. It actually took most of them a few weeks to realize I was a girl, and that I was _the_ Anna Collins, local girl in charge of making sure everything at home was in order for the company. None of us usually had time to socialize, so it was understandable. And It probably helped that didn’t look very ‘feminine’ in men’s clothes and with a short ponytail, a hairstyle shared by _several_ of the crew. They were a rowdy bunch with mostly good hearts. Didn’t stop me from slapping the first and _only_ man who groped my ass. He paled when Rocky approached, but I ended the matter by curtly.

“So long as he knows I’ll do _worse_ next time and refrains from doing it again, I don’t care.” And that was the end of that. The _look_ on that man’s face was _hilarious_. Did he think I wasn’t going to do jack shit or something? I shook my head over a pot of soup as the door was kicked open by a panicked sailor, Jack, if I recall correctly.

“P-Pirates! We’re being overrun by pirates!” He shouted as a distant war cry sounded above deck and gunfire pierced the air. I cursed, dashing up and cautiously taking in the chaos. The sailors were _not_ prepared. Most didn’t have weapons, instead straight up brawling. And it was brave, no doubt about that, but foolish when the pirates were _monsters_. They _made_ their own weapons. They seemed to be mostly dogs, but I saw a blue rabbit, an armless lizard, and there was a skeleton too. The captain, actually, judging by the fancy hat and coat. He was armed with a glowing red bone, curved like a blade and clearly sharp. They had boards set across the two boats and I knew there was really only _one_ way to get out of this mess. I crouched down and made my way to the edge of the ship, raising my arm and focusing.

The sea-green ocean ripples as tentacles rose up, smacking away the boards and grabbing the pirates one by one. I didn’t want to kill them, just make them go away, so I made a point of setting the panicked pirates down on their own ship while I shoved the boat farther away. I almost dropped a squirming dog when a sailor suddenly appeared next to me.

“Y-Yer a sea witch?!” I glared at him over my shoulder.

“I’m sorry, do you want me to put them _back_?!” the sailor shook his head vigorously before paling.

“Well, _I would_.” A husky voice replied and I snapped without thinking.

“Well, I don’t give a salty pile of coral what you want—” It was the captain, skeletal grin sharp with a single gold fang and harsh red lights settled in his sockets. His theme of black leather and red cloth setting him apart from everything else. He looked into my eyes with a furious expression that oddly seemed to melt away as I noticed he moved the blade to face away from me.

“That’s too bad, little pearl. Guess it’s your nap time then.” He said before raising the handle of his sword to bash my head, the pain blinding me as a high-pitched whine rang in my ears. Darkness enveloped me not too soon after, much to my relief.

I woke up to find it was almost pitch black. For a moment, I thought that the crew somehow managed to repel the pirates, but the mattress was… _wrong_. A bit too soft to be Rocky’s bed. The smell wasn’t right either. It smelled like the sea, sure, but there was also a minty smell along with chalk. I tried to move but my hands were bound in front of me and something heavy was on top of me.

“W-What the… who the hell—”

“Go back to sleep, little pearl.” A gruff voice whispered into my ear. I shuddered and jerked.

“What? No! I-I wake up in bed next to a _pirate_! I’m not going to just go back to _sleep_!” I growled, attempting to remove myself from his grip. He growled, nipping my neck.

“Keep moving like that and I’ll do more than just _nip_ , little pearl.” He warned, “It’s not like we aren’t already promised to each other.”

“The _fuck_ are you talking about?” that got him to finally move, propping his body up on his forearms as bright red pins of light stared down at me.

“I… don’t exactly have a _forgettable_ face, little pearl. Do you not remember me?” I scrambled mentally for something— _anything_ really, when he reached under his shirt and pulled out a simple chain with a golden colored pearl. Wait…

“Sans?!” It all came back to me. He washed ashore one day when I was six, clutching a broken string of pearls, and was just a kid, like me. I took him home and helped him get better until he insisted he had to leave. I could remember him promising that we’d meet again, that he’d care for me like I did him. That he would give me as much jewelry as I wanted—which I told him was none at all.

“Hey Anna… bit surprised to see you on a fishing boat. And using magic to boot.” Sans replied softly.

“Sans… were you always a pirate? And the hell do you mean ‘promised’?!” I asked, causing Sans to laugh softly.

“Fuck… right… you were a bit young. And monsters didn’t live in your town.” Sans cursed before sitting back and pulling me up into his lap, “Sweet little pearl, monsters don’t promise shit like ‘I’ll take care of you’ and ‘I’ll give you whatever you desire’ idly. And no, I didn’t say it because you took care of me back then.” Oh… he basically… proposed?

“Sans… this is going to be really awkward to explain. Mostly because there is _no way_ you can hold me to a promise _you made_ to me when I was _six_. And also because I was kind of on my way to meet this guy, that I’ve never met, as a favor to my brother—” Sans snarled, cutting me off.

“ ** _What_**? **Absolutely not**.” Sans reached out, he grabbed a pale pink bottle and downed the contents before he tangled his fist into my hair and kissed me hard. At first, I was shocked, the feeling of warm, bubbly magic on my lips unfamiliar. A sharp nip on my bottom lip made me gasp and he took advantage of the opportunity. It felt like liquid cinnamon was being poured down my throat, the room felt too hot and I swore I felt _something_ burning below my bellybutton. When he finally pulled back I dragged in deep breaths and barely managed to pull my thoughts together.

“S-Sans… I _trust_ my brother—" He kissed me again, pushing me against the mattress and holding up my tied hands above my head. His free hand slipping underneath my waistband and caressing the soft skin. It was getting harder to think and clearly he thought the same thing from how frantic his movements became. His phalanges dipped inward, rubbing my clit and gently circling my entrance.

“Ah-Anna—fuck, shouldn’t have done that. I-I’m sorry…” Sans broke away from the kiss but couldn’t stop touching me. Fire melted my insides as I panted.

“W-What was in that—Hahn—fuck, please!” I could barely breath, I needed _something_.

“Was supposed to be a surprise. S _hit_ … for when you agreed to be mine. ‘S why I attacked a fishing boat, I knew it belonged to your family. Thought I could ransom the crew for a meeting. See where that goes.” Sans panted brokenly, wrenching his hands free to grip my shirt before pausing, “I-It—f _uuck_ —induces a heat between compatible people. Encourages a bond—ya know, the _fun_ way. Shit—But it only lasts for a few hours before winding down. I-If you want me to, I can just take a dip in the ocean for a bit, leave you here for it to wear off before neither one of us can think anymore—” It was probably too late for that, all I _could_ think about was how badly I wanted him.

“I’m going to kick your ass later, Sans—but if you don’t finish what you started, I’m going to _drown you_!” Sans looked down in surprise.

“W-What about the guy?” he asked softly, face soft with uncertainty.

“If you had let me _talk_ , I would have expl—ahn—explained that Brian wanted me to meet him. But Brian _knew_ I wouldn’t like Charles. He just wanted to try and get a contract, I never would have been forced to marry him—shit! Hah—I _trust_ my brother, Sans! Now fuck me already!” I shook with pent-up energy as Sans seemed to slowly process what I’d told him. Then, in one great movement, he ripped my shirt down the middle and pressed a kiss to my collar bone.

“I-I’m such a fucking idiot—fuck, you taste good—but the bond isn’t permanent unless we fuck again afterwards within a month—so there’s that at least.” Sans apologized before focusing on my exposed breast. His hands were everywhere, on my sides, cupping my breasts, it was almost a relief when he finally started tugging down my pants. I pulled Sans into a kiss as he shoved two phalanges into me, his thumb rubbing along my clit until I relaxed enough for him to add another. I thought I was going to scream when he suddenly pulled away to claw at his pants, my skin too hot to bear.

“S-Sahns… _please_!” he pulled out his dick, the form clear and distinct in the darkness due to his magic illuminating it in a dark shade of red. He fell forward eagerly, one forearm braced on the mattress beside my head as he maneuvered himself between my legs.

“E-Easy there, Anna. I’m right here, I promise. J-Just try to relax, alright? I was an asshole, I shouldn’t have taken the potion for our first time…” Sans rambled as I felt him slowly push into me. It was uncomfortable. It felt like it took forever. It felt like a _relief_ when he was as deep as he could go. Pulling back out dragged a whimper from my throat and I almost screamed when he thrust forward. What I now knew for _sure_ to be pleasure shot through me as he moved. It was hard to breathe, to even think. All I could focus on was how good I felt and his feral expression.

“S-Sans! Ah—” I shook, my body tensing as it became too much, but Sans only thrust harder. I fell over the edge and was dragged back down as Sans chased his pleasure frantically.

“F-Fuck, oh Anna hng—” I smothered a scream into the fabric of his shirt as something pressed against my walls, steadily growing bigger and popping in and out with every thrust.

“W-What— _ahn!—_ Sans!” I keened, dimly aware of the bedframe knocking against the wall. Sans pulled out with a growl, sitting back and flipping me over before lifting me into his lap. His forearms braced my thighs as he rubbed his cock against my wet folds.

“F _uck_! Ya see, my little pearl, w-what’s going on? _Look_.” He demanded and I grabbed his bared forearms as I looked down. There, a quarter of the way from the root, was a swell of magic on his cock, an angry red and pulsing, “B-Bonding happens when two people trade magic, taking in their partner’s magic and giving some of their own. The fun way takes longer but _look_.” Sans moved his right hand and, without mercy, dipped into my body. I moaned when he pulled away, revealing a dark blue residue, almost purple in the red illumination of his cock, clinging to his phalanges.

“W-What the hell is that?” I asked, barely noticing when I reached down to stroke the knot, pulling a rough growl from Sans.

“Your magic. I’m going to fuck you now, Anna, and I want you to _know_ exactly what’s happening.” Sans gripped my thighs and lifted my body up before letting me sink down onto his cock, “Your sweet little pussy is absorbing my magic, soaking up my cum and drenching me in yours. For this moment, you are **mine _._** ” Sans hissed as his knot pressed against me. With a hard thrust and a firm pull, I keened as it popped inside. He grabbed my hand and pressed it over my uterus, letting me feel the slight indent from him before losing all control and thrusting his hips upwards.

“S _—ahn_ —ns!” Every harsh thrust pulled the knot against my entrance, but it was firmly stuck, and it only seemed to be getting bigger. His phalanges pinched and rubbed my clit, his free hand pressing down over my hand still over his cock. He panted, biting down roughly over my neck and shoulders, sucking on the abused skin. I jerked in his hold again as his thrusts became reckless and he moaned into my ear. I _felt_ the strength of his orgasm, the heat unbelievable as I was filled. Panting, I leaned back against him, more than ready to sleep. Sans braced my waist and helped me settle my torso on the bed, the feeling of liquid trapped inside me making me moan weakly. I yelped when he started to move again, undeniably rutting into me.

“ _Hours_ , my pearl, it lasts for _hours_.” I couldn’t deny that, despite my weariness, I certainly _felt_ like I needed a few more hours of him.

“I— _ah_ —I’m going to f _ucking_ drown you, _Sah—ns_!” I complained despite how readily I pushed back against his shallow thrusts. Sans slapped my ass and chuckled when I yelped.

“Then I guess I better enjoy every last moment you’re mine, _Anna_.” Sans draped himself over my back, hands fondling and pinching my breasts, his voice husky and intimate in my ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S DECEMBER! CUE ALL THE HOLIDAY APPROPRIATE MUSIC! 
> 
> Anyway, I have... hmm, two? Three? more requests to work on, shouldn't take me long, but if you want holiday goodness, now is the time. These are the requests pending, if you have anything else you'd like to see, feel free to tell me in the comments here or tell me through my Tumblr (Mamamittens, Winter's Grasp. You'll know it when you see it because my most recent art is of winged people). Feel free to draw inspiration from the list a few chapters back or whatever!
> 
> Pending requests (in no particular order):
> 
> Naga!Sans
> 
> Mermaid!Sans, prisoner of pirates Anna (who goes to live with Sans)
> 
> Yandere!Sans in the context of a reset within Colorful as Hell and he doesn't handle it well.
> 
> Borrower!Anna getting caught by Sans at or near Christmas.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, because apparently, I can't just jump into smut without world building -_-


	10. Hissy Fit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing bad here, but if you don't like snakes (or have a phobia) it's probably a good idea to skip this one.
> 
> FlamingoBlubber beta'd this chapter~

FlamingoBlubber & ThatOneNightmare: Naga!Sans

Travel had always interested me. I loved art sure, but I wanted to _go_ places too. Meet people and maybe have an excuse to not meet any when I felt like it. It took _years_ of setting aside money, doing commissions on the side, holiday gifts of money from friends and family, and working in retail to afford a fairly luxurious trailer. I still _very much loved_ modern amenities after all. Looking at the stars was great, but I wanted something a bit more stable than nylon blend fabric to protect me from storms. It was also partially a gift from my parents for going through college. They paid for half of the trailer for doing well in college and I paid the other half and set aside a tidy nest egg for emergencies. The truck—which would naturally pull the trailer—I’ve had since high school. It’s been a bit excessive for my needs up until this point considering I don’t haul things around on a regular basis. Now, the trailer was practically my _baby_.

It was a cream colored fifth wheel trailer, which basically means that it has a section that hangs over the bed of a truck and is a lot more stable to drive than a normal trailer because of how it is attached. It had plenty of amenities, such as a bathroom, separate bedroom, full kitchen, and room for entertainment systems, though nothing extensive. The floors were all wood and the counters were doing a fair job pretending to be granite. When you walked inside it was an open living area, a black couch along the wall with two armchairs and a table between them. Immediately to the left was a small kitchen area with a stove, fridge, sink, microwave, and dishwasher neatly arranged between cabinets to save space. The farthest point from where the trailer hooked up to my truck was the bathroom.

It wasn’t big, but it had a toilet and a tub/shower combo big enough that I could mostly relax in. The bedroom was in the area where it hooked up, a large queen bed with black sheets and comforter with a quilt my grandma made me when I was young, worn and faded but still nostalgically patching together clashing squares of fabric in all sorts of colors. I even had little bedside tables on each side and drawers under the bed. I had a tv installed in the living area and the bedroom on the wall, mounted firmly in place just to be safe. Naturally, I had internet so I could still do commissions, and most RV parks had some form of tv service you could pay to use. All in all, it looked a little odd attached to my dark green truck after years of driving it without one, but I liked it.

I went from one side of the country to the other, wherever my fancy was piqued. I talked to my family every week, as well as my friends, Vicky and Judy, and just… enjoyed myself. It was oddly liberating to just decide one day _I think I’d like to see a mountain out my window instead of a field_ , and just go. Currently, I wanted to see a forest outside my window when I wake up. It was on the outskirts of a RV park for a natural preserve, it wasn’t as expensive as I thought it would be to rent the spot, but I had a good budget going and I wasn’t going to complain. The local rangers were really nice too, a blue, grinning rabbit monster with a spiffy jacket threw back-handed complements at me on my way out of the office as a tan cat sulked, arm slung around the rabbit’s waist.

The sun warmed everything before the occasional breeze reminded me that fall was coming. Trees were starting to blush fiery orange and red and I’ve seen a lot of animals running around, starting to prepare for the cold weather. I decided to take a break from a big commission and take a walk around the forest. Not too far, obviously, as I didn’t want to get lost, but a walk would do me some good.

It was late afternoon, only a few hours before sunset, and I was maybe thirty minutes from my trailer. The trees were clearing out and it looked like a cave system was nearby. I thought I should start heading back before I encounter something less friendly than a racoon when I heard it. Something _moving_ , heavy and dragging across the ground somewhere to my right. It was quiet, I almost missed it, but the birdsong had stopped and the wind was barely a whisper. Cautiously, I started walking as fast as I dared towards my trailer. When the sound seemed like it was only a stones throw away, it stopped and I froze. I couldn’t decide what I should do. With luck, it wasn’t a predator, but it sounded so _big_. Then there was a low hiss and my heart stuttered, cold sweat breaking out over my body. I moved slowly away, but I scarcely made it three steps when there was a rush of movement. I screamed, the breath ripped out of me as I was knocked over, something bright red and smooth wrapping around me.

When the world stopped spinning I registered being lifted up—the world coming into focus precisely as a skeletal grin appeared in front of me. The skeletal monster looked almost human in nature, but in the sockets were two identical slit ovals of glowing red and the fangs were definitely reptilian in nature. The left primary fang was made of gold, pale red liquid squeezed out of the tips before being swiped up by a thin, forked tongue a slightly deeper shade of red. Their bones were thick and their ribcage and shoulders broad. I glanced down, unable to restrain my curiosity and nearly screamed again. From just beneath the ribcage downwards a tail was formed, transitioning from almost completely translucent to opaque. It was a dark, burning red color, forming scales with a softer shade of red splattering along the top with an almost pale pink color for the underbelly. It was thicker than my own waist by several inches at least and almost impossible to tell how long the strange monster was in total. Certainly more than my own five feet and five inches by far. The light seemed to just barely pierce the magic scales, giving the impression that I could see the bone structure of the tail even as it wrapped around my body from my chest down. I jerked when a cold, skeletal hand reached up and cupped my cheek, my eyes darting back to the monster.

“H-Hi…” I breathed out, feeling my heart pound as the tongue flicked out again, brushing up against my nose. The monster seemed to smile and hugged me, face tucked into my neck as the coils loosened up a bit. Belatedly, it occurred to me that maybe the monster was _cold_. I was pretty warm myself after walking around in a light jacket. Still rather terrified, I opted to wait and see what would happen. No need to piss off the snake monster hybrid. Slowly, the monster seemed to melt into a looping pile of coils with their torso and myself in the center. My hands were free now, but I didn’t really know what to _do_ with them. I awkwardly settled my hands on a coil, taking note of the curiously smooth surface of the monster’s scales. Belatedly, I remembered that I had my phone with me _and_ I could remember the number for the ranger’s office. I nearly had a heart attack when the sound of dialing the number caused the snoozing monster to twitch.

“Ranger Frosty and Ranger BP, how can we help?” At the sound of Frosty’s voice, the monster twitched, head swiveling around as they hissed.

“I-It’s Anna, from earlier? You don’t happen to know anything about a red snake-skeleton hybrid, do you?” something clattered to the floor on the other end as the monster’s eyes focused on my phone. They flicked out a tongue at the device and settled down, eyes still sharp and unhappy.

“W-What does he look like? I mean, is he tall and lean from the waist up or more broad?” Frosty demanded. Was there more than one?!

“Broad. Definitely broad.” I answered, feeling uneasy at how focused the monster was.

“Is he outside your trailer or are you outside? What kind of distance do you have from him?” I heard BP in the background cussing up a storm.

“W-Well… clearly not as far away as you’re hoping. I’m… ah, _really_ close, or rather, he’s really close to me. Like, literally wrapped around me. He’s chill right now, if super interested in my conversation.” I rambled, trying to look anywhere but in _his_ eyes.

“ _Wait, what the fuck?_ ” Frosty muttered before BP interrupted—

“You mean he’s literally **_right there_** with you and hasn’t—I don’t know, eaten you or bit you?!” BP screeched in disbelief as the monster in question hissed in displeasure.

“Ah, that’s right, Ranger. I-I think he’s cold?” I offered lamely, BP and the snake monster hissing for slightly different reasons.

“Those nagas are super snobby, they don’t get close to _anyone_ willingly unless it’s the park doctors! Sans is a bit less… tense, but there is _no way_ he’d approach someone because he’s _cold_!” BP ranted into the receiver before Frosty took the phone from him.

“Okay… this is _really_ weird, but Sans definitely understands human speech. Not sure he talks, but if you explain that you _need_ to go, he should release you. Once you get to your trailer, lock the door and we’ll be there shortly.” Frosty offered but Sans immediately started hissing, coils restricting around me. I hung up the phone, figuring that any more conversation from their end wouldn’t end well. I looked at Sans, taking note of the displeased expression he wore, tongue flicking out and tasting the air.

“Sans—" I beseeched but he wasn’t having any of it.

“ _No_.” He hissed in plain, if accented English. Hands gripping my shoulders as his tail knotted up around us.

“I can’t stay here, Sans.” Sans hissed in protest, clearly believing that I _could_ and _should_ stay with him.

“ _No!_ ” He spat and I hissed back childishly. Sans looked affronted at first before settling into an amused expression. Apparently, _my_ hissing wasn’t as threatening to him.

“Sans, I can’t stay outside like this—I camp, but I use a trailer, not a tent. The outdoors do _not_ enthrall me enough to forsake a bathroom. I get you’re cold, but I. Can’t. Stay here.” I snapped at him, distantly wondering if this is how I get eaten by a semi-mythical creature. Sans hissed, displaying his fangs at their fullest, but I was filled with the height of stupidity and was _done_ with his nonsense.

“ _Mine_! _Stay_!” Sans barked at me in his thick, slurring accent. He dragged me against his ribcage and buried us in his coiling tail, our heads the only thing exposed, before smugly hissing in my ear, “ _Try to leave_. _Dare you_.” I jerked at the tickling sensation of his tongue flicking against my ear and I struggled in vain to get away. But there was no winning against several hundred pounds of muscle wrapped around my body in confusing curls.

“You are an ass! A long, noodly ass, Sans!” I screeched as he just squeezed me tightly and laughed in amusement, “Fucking fine, you’re still cold, right? What if I let you into my trailer? That way, I still get to go, but you get to follow me?” I negotiated, pointedly ignoring that I could hardly just _let_ him do jack shit. That indicated I had much of a choice in the first place. Sans pulled back and looked me in the eyes in contemplation. After a long moment, he slowly uncoiled himself from around us, leaving me a clear space to get up and go. Cautiously, I got up and reoriented myself to the proper direction of my trailer before walking. Sans following me closely with one hand fisted in the back of my jacket like he thought I could _actually_ outrun him. When I finally made it to my trailer, I considered slamming the door in his face, but one look at his tail trailing behind him changed my mind. He had to be around twenty feet long, if not more. I doubt my trailer could handle an assault from a pissed off naga that size. I opened the door and let him in, suddenly thankful that it has so much floor space for his long ass tail. Sans grinned, clearly pleased with the heated interior, before snooping around, tongue flicking over everything he encountered. He glanced inside every cabinet, drawer, appliance, and door. He seemed _especially_ pleased with my bed though, likely happy that I had a soft ‘nest’ where he could be even _more_ warm. There was a knock on the door and suddenly Sans was there, wrapped around me and hissing up a storm as he dragged me back towards my bedroom.

“Anna, you in there?” Frosty asked through the door, unable to see inside since I had all the windows covered with heavy duty blinds.

“ _No!_ _Mine! Go away!_ ” Sans spat, nearly starting to drip venom in his fury.

“Will you calm your ass down?! I’m not leaving my trailer and I _doubt_ they could make you leave. Yeah, just come in, Frosty, door’s unlocked. Uh, maybe be careful though? Sans is a bit pissy right now.” I called out, faintly hearing BP through the door alongside Frosty.

“Not sure I’d call those sounds _pissy_ , but alright. Today’s a good day to die. Let’s go, Frosty.” BP snarked as the door opened slowly, Sans’ arms wrapped around my torso as he glared over my shoulder. BP and Frosty ducked their heads in and gaped in surprise. I guess what they were seeing wasn’t exactly _snobby_ behavior?

“Sweet Delta, Anna, how’d you charm him so quickly?” Frosty asked in amazement, “Nagas usually _refuse_ to leave their territory unless absolutely necessary.” Sans hissed at the two of them smugly.

“ _Mine_.”

“Oh shit… looks like Sans has a handler now.” BP muttered, looking like he was disassociating from the situation as he spoke.

“Certainly uh… solves the issue, doesn’t it?” Frosty asked nervously.

“Can we, I don’t know, maybe start from the _top_?” I spat, testily trying to wriggle out of Sans’ hold but his grip was firm.

“W-Well, monsters are full citizens, but some don’t… _function_ well in society. Nagas are one such type of monster. Too wild. Too predatory to normally associate with untrained people. They usually stay away from visitors and are fully capable of defending themselves from poachers. We have a few types of monsters who naturally live off the land here, keep the different animal populations in check, occasionally help out with search and rescue.” Frosty explained nervously before BP took over for him.

“On his own, Sans isn’t technically allowed off the grounds because of how ‘instinctive’ he is. His brother too. But with a _handler_ , he could go anywhere, so long as the paperwork is kept up and he is checked out by a doctor every year. Handlers for more… feral monsters get special training before being certified. And they also get paid from a special fund.” BP shrugged and waved his paw in a loose circle, “For research and compiling behavioral data and all that. Pretty sure we can fast track you, but you won’t be able to skip out on the special training.” Frosty nodded solemnly.

“Who said I wanted training for _anything_ , I just met this asshole worm!” I snarked and Sans flicked his tongue into my ear in displeasure, making me screech and bat at his face in mortification.

“Then you legally can’t leave the grounds either, cause _he_ certainly won’t let you leave without him. If you manage to convince him to leave you alone, give us a call.” Frosty offered apologetically with a shrug, “Seriously, call us. Because that would be a miracle and we’d like to know how you managed it… just think on it, okay? They’re really not that bad and I know this is super sudden for you. We’ll have the paperwork at the office, whatever you decide.” Frosty said before tugging on BP’s sleeve.

“Oh, by the way, his venom is usually a poison that takes out the nervous system, but he has been known to change it to reflect what he wants. Paralysis. Dizziness. You name it. His brother’s the same way.” BP threw over his shoulder before they left, closing the door after them. Sans stuck out his tongue in a decidedly childish manner and I glared at him. He saw my expression and gave his best impression of total innocence. Ruby eye lights large and seemingly benign.

“You’re _such an ass_. Are you sure you don’t want to just fuck off?” Sans grinned, baring his fangs as he nodded his head.

“ _Mine~_ ” Sans hummed as he nuzzled the top of my head. Fuck my life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty then, one request down! That leaves three more to go before I start making shit up! Uh... prompt wise, that is. Making shit up is kind of how I /write/. Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Pretty sure you know what to do by now if you want to see a particular thing, a follow up to a previous request, or just want to share how much you liked/did-not-like this chapter~ Here or my Tumblr is perfectly fine.
> 
> Pending requests in no specific order:
> 
> Mermaid!Sans, captive of pirates Anna (Goes to live under the sea with Sans).
> 
> Yandere!Sans after a reset in Colorful as Hell.
> 
> Borrower!Anna gets caught by Sans at or around Christmas.
> 
> If one of these excites you, or you want to see something extra with them, feel free to share that too~


	11. Never Let Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Yandere, but not off the deep end "Love me senpai or I'll chop off your limbs" Yandere. Also a bit of suggestive language but nothing happens (Anna is a minor (15, which is being a minor where I live, but not everywhere) and he does plan on seduction, they do kiss, and there is a completed Soul Bond thing happening) So if ANY of this makes you uncomfortable, please feel free to skip this chapter and perhaps request something more to your taste? Bonus points if it's holiday appropriate! 
> 
> As always FlamingoBlubber beta'ed this chapter!

Yandere!Sans (Colorful as Hell AU; reset timeline)

 

Sans honestly couldn’t believe that life could be so _great_. Every day he woke up to Anna’s face, usually tucked into his ribcage, and every night he fell asleep in a similar fashion. He enjoyed a shared Bond with her, always _somewhat_ aware of her condition, and the perks of an intimate relationship with her. They had their own separate lives, sure, but a majority of their time was spent _together_. They were even engaged! And looking around the dinner table, to his happily chatting brother and mate, and even his old man soaking up the atmosphere. He wasn’t sure what could _possibly_ top this— Sans looked down at Anna’s stomach, to the just barely showing bulge. It wasn’t planned, he honestly had wanted to enjoy it being just the two of them in the relationship, but he couldn’t find it in himself to regret it. Even if it risked her life because of the _incident_ that inspired the accident. But they had time to adjust, to piece together more alone time down the road. Until… suddenly they had no time at all. The world shook in a horribly familiar way, his happy family fading away before his eyes as he fell through time and space.

It _burned_ as time attempted to turn back, taking away the small chunk of Anna’s magic and Soul with it. The barely present _something_ ripped from reality. He barely managed to hold onto a tiny sliver of Anna’s Soul, barely anything really, and it was probably the only reason he didn’t dust from shock alone. With a wild gasp he fell off his bed and for a moment, he hoped that it was all a bad dream. That Anna would jolt awake, sleepily expressing concern for him. That she would then pull him back into bed and then he’d nuzzle into her neck—desperately deepening the marks that were still there and run his hands over her baby bump. But before he opened his eyes he knew it wasn’t going to happen. Her scent was **gone**. That tiny chunk still nestled into his Soul cut into him deeply. She was **gone**. Bonds were never meant to be broken like this. **They were gone**. His phalanges seemed to sharpen, cutting along his ribcage as he scrambled to pull out his Soul. It was white, like all Monsters, red billowing inside like thick smoke trapped in a bottle. There, in the middle, was a tiny speck of blue. Shaking, he touched the last bit of hope he had left, taking note of the cracks surrounding Anna’s Soul within his that seemed to slowly weep thick strands of liquid red magic. **_S h e  w a s  g o n e_** …

No, wait… it struck him then. He went back in _time_. Anna was still very much alive… she’d be… what? Fifteen? That was rather young, but he’d gone back about seven years, so it wasn’t any wonder. He… he could work with that. He could wait. When Frisk frees them a few months from now he could look for her—maybe even help her when her brother passes. He… he could do that. It was only a few months, so long as Frisk doesn’t die a lot. His Soul wept as his thoughts went down a darker path. _So long as Frisk doesn’t kill everyone_.

“Sans! Get your lazy ass up already, I _heard_ you fall out of bed!” Papyrus declared from the other side of the door. Sans reluctantly let his Soul go back and stood up. He was already dressed, pajamas, or lack thereof, being a more recent habit of his. He decided to talk with Frisk the moment he met up with them again, figure out what happened. Breakfast was just the same as he remembered it being every time Frisk had to start over. Well… not _quite_. Papyrus had pulled out two extra plates before stopping, shooting the extra plates in his hands a glare before setting them back. It happened occasionally: someone gets just a feeling of… _something_ from a past reset. But it gave him hope. Hope that Anna would remember him—actually, he didn’t have the entirety of his Soul, where was the bit that Anna’s occupied… could it be? Over leftover lasagna, Sans mulled over the question, allowing his senses to pick out the fragile Bond he still shared with Anna. She was alive, obviously, and confused. He let himself hope that she remembered him, that at the very least, she wouldn’t remember their _child_. Sans sighed over his lasagna, receiving an odd look from Papyrus. All he could do was _wait_. He swallowed down the bitter sting, instincts screaming that he should be with _her_ , protecting her. Explaining what happened and making sure that no one touched her.

He recalled how sweet and innocent she was when he met her. So confident that nothing bad could happen taking shortcuts through back alleys. Perfectly willing to give someone like _him_ a chance after the first impression he left. Magic bubbled up in his Soul at the unwelcome reminder that resets changed some things, that their fragile Bond may lead her to search for him without knowing who or why. A sweet fifteen-year-old girl with the vague knowledge that she should be in an intimate relationship with a possessive bastard like him? It was a recipe for disaster. Fuck, Frisk had better hurry, he wasn’t sure he would be able to keep from swiping a Soul to get out if this took longer than last time.

He magnanimously decided to forgive Frisk when they explained the sudden car accident later. How it had taken Asgore, Toriel, and themselves with it. He kept a _very_ close eye on Frisk this time from the shadows. They barely died at all, a bone attack deflected a killing blow at the last minute or a snack left out in the open for extra HP. It kept Sans from tearing into Asgore himself to get to the barrier, though not without consequences. He was noticeably more feral than before and he swore that his tail bone was growing into a fully-fledged tail. His phalanges were looking more like claws with every day that passed and his fangs were sharper than before. The broken Bond pushing his magic into overdrive to fix his Soul and better protect himself in his mentally fragile state.

\--Thankfully only a few months later—

Sans looked out at the sunrise, basking in the moment like everyone else, secretly waiting for his cue to leave and chase the thin thread of his Bond to Anna. He barely slept these past few months, the rims of his eye sockets scorched a deep red and his phalanges were constantly twitching. He couldn’t stand being away for another _minute_. His magic was choking him, it was so thick, the cracks in his Soul constantly leaking magic that condensed in his ribcage like miasma. He threw his hood up to obscure his features—something he honestly almost forgot—and threw enough magic into a shortcut that he went from miles and miles away to right outside a hospital. His Soul stopped beating for a moment until he remembered that her brother wasn’t dead yet, that she was probably just visiting. And looking up he almost cried when he saw her through a window on the third floor. Her hair was longer, in a bob to her shoulders, and surprisingly red. She even wore a red sweater. She looked so _young_ with her hair like that, and still in the midst of puberty, cheeks pillowed with baby fat. She looked really happy too, he just _really_ wished it was because of him.

Sans coughed, grimacing as red smoke left him in a burst. All that magic, just condensing and gathering to re-forge their Bond. He had long since abandoned his original plan to wait until she almost finished college to meet again. He still remembered his promise to let her set the pace of their relationship, but he never, _ever_ swore to not interfere with anyone trying to take her away from him. A paper crane flew out the window and down to him, Anna’s eyes following the movement. She seemed to be horrified as the paper construct gently flew down into his outstretched hand. Sans sighed at the cool balm of her residual magic brushing against his bones, the joints almost cherry red from the excess of magic he had inside him. When he glanced up Anna was gone, but he could clearly feel her Soul moving around the building and towards him. He had only meant to _look_ … really. But… who was he to deny his precious _Anna mine_ if she wanted to meet him? She tried to act casually as she exited the building, slowly making her way over to him. She laughed nervously and he honestly preferred her usual laugh, the one that would curl her lips and turn her eyes a brighter color.

“Haha—T-That… That was some toss, wasn’t it?” She excused, as though he couldn’t have noticed the flapping of the crane’s wings. All subtlety went out the window though as he coughed, red smoke billowing out.

“G-Gha—sorry about that, sweetheart.” Sans apologized, displaying his blatantly non-human features, “As you can see, I’m in no position to judge someone’s magic ability.” She froze, looking at his face like she couldn’t understand what she was seeing. He wasn’t sure he could take it if she screamed—if she was _afraid of **him**_. But tears gathered between her eyelashes as she took in a sharp breath. She frowned in confusion, hand reaching out to touch his cheekbones. He couldn’t stop the growl from rolling out of his chest when she touched him, instincts alive and nipping at his self-control. She wasn’t any better off, now openly crying.

“S…Sans?” Anna whispered so softly he barely heard it. But he did. His arms shot out, dropping the paper crane in favor of pulling Anna to his chest, magic rippling off him as he took a step back and fell onto his bed. He couldn’t stop himself from kissing her if he tried—if he _wanted to_. Smoky magic finally leaving his rib cage to surround them, pressing into Anna and trying to expand their Bond back to what it was. Slowly but surely, he felt her accept his magic, and melt into his kiss. Her hands pouring magic in response to reciprocate the Bond properly. Some distant part of him—the part that would have protested Bonding unless she _knew_ what was happening this time, when she was actually of _age_ —died a small death. He was hers, and she was _his_.

When he finally pulled back from the kiss, she was gasping for breath, and he wasted no time kissing the sensitive spots on her neck and behind her ear. She keened, crying in confusion and relief, the pain in _both_ their Souls healing properly. He kneaded her ass and growled, faintly remembering his favorite way to make up emotional pain to her. He almost snapped at Anna when she pulled back, shaking her head. He wanted to kiss away the ‘no’ implied in her motions but held back. There was _plenty_ of time to make it up to her later.

“Anna mine?” She cried some more, shaking her head as she tried to wipe away her tears.

“I-I don’t remember anything! I don’t remember you, but I _know_ you? I-I don’t understand— _who_ are you?” Anna asked him desperately and Sans snarled, flipping them both over, his phalanges sharp enough to cut into his mattress. Their Bond wasn’t complete; she was clearly in a state of confusion. Finishing it should help her along, right? She should remember him with a bit more _reminding_?

“We’re Soul mates, Anna. Bonded together but… something happened, tried to cut us apart. Does it hurt, Anna?” Sans asked, his voice sweet like honey and she nodded, a bit frightened at his earlier display. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I know how to make it better.” He shoved the pain of their separation through the fractured Bond and she cried out. Unable to discern the difference between his pain and her own, she held onto him desperately.

“Ah! Sans, p-please, make it stop!” She begged and Sans pushed a little harder on the pain. With this, she’d be begging for him to take her, to make her pregnant again and everything would go back to normal. But then, for a single moment, the world flashed, and he was reminded of his promise. Of how nervous she was to his intimate advances. He _wanted_ that again. He took a deep breath, her scent swirling around him, signaling her pain clearly. He _would **wait**_. She was his and _nothing_ would change that. He changed their position, pulling her into his lap and cradling her gently.

“Just trust me, sweetheart, and _relax_.” Sans whispered, gently pulling out her Soul and his own. They both reached for each other, fine mist of red and blue swirling together, slowly easing the pain. His Soul was still cracked and he was relieved to know her own had healed back properly. Softly, he kissed her, allowing himself to get lost in the fulfilling sensation of their Bond returning and her willing kiss.

Anna, sweet precious Anna. She was too loyal and kind to ever turn from him, he didn’t even spare a thought to that concern. But other people? Since he’s met her, she’s almost died at least four times. No, the problem was other people. They wouldn’t understand where he came from suddenly, why their relationship was so strong. They’d seek to tear it down and take Anna away from him. Carefully, Sans cradled Anna’s face, taking care to not scratch her with his phalanges. He’d take care of the threats though; it was his _pleasure_. His new… additions and instincts would make it all too easy to snuff out the competition. At least until they could be open about their relationship in a few years. Since Anna was still a minor, he could hardly show off the hickeys he’s already made. Hell, he was pretty sure he couldn’t legally have sex, but he planned on a long-term seduction anyway. It was a lot of planning he’d have to do, a lot of dancing around her family and friends, hell, even _his_ friends and family. But it was worth it. And if he messed up? Well, he knew plenty of places, far away from people, that Anna and him could go. He’d _never let her go again_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, hope that was a good chapter for you guys! Now, you may have noticed I've been posting a lot specifically for this fic and not my others. Worry not, nothing has been dropped, I've just been a bit burnt out and tired lately. It takes quite a bit of focus and concentration to continue a long-running fic while keeping in mind the end destination! I should be back in business... maybe January? Not sure, but we'll see!
> 
> Pending prompts:
> 
> Borrower!Anna gets caught by Sans at or near Christmas
> 
> Mermaid!Sans and captive-of-pirate!Anna, they live under the sea at the end
> 
> Giant!Sans and (if my implications are correct) unwillingly-kept!Anna on the run at least once
> 
> Don't forget that it is possible to request a follow up of a previous prompt, it's usually no trouble, especially if there is still something left to explore in the story! Just tell me here or through my Tumblr (mamamittens at Winter's Grasp)~


	12. A Small Miracle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per usual, FlamingoBlubber beta'd this work~

FlamingoBlubber: Borrower!Anna caught by Sans at/near Christmas

 

The holidays were a busy time of year for everyone, no doubt about that. Sans was hardly an exception, but unlike his workaholic brother and father, Papyrus and Gaster, Sans knew when to take a day off. There was something uniquely depressing about working on Christmas—then again, it was also depressing to be alone on such a holiday as well. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day would see Sans entirely alone. Everyone _else_ had prior obligations. _But_ , Sans supposed, _why complain about an excuse to wear nothing but boxers on the holidays?_ It wasn’t like anyone would see him and complain about indecent exposure.

The modest four bedroom, two bath home was decked in Christmas decorations nearly everywhere. Papyrus never did anything by halves and definitely inherited that trait from their father, unlike Sans. But it was rather nice to see a Christmas tree with presents underneath—and a strict warning that if Papyrus found so much as one present moved an inch Sans would be put on a stretching rack and have Christmas tunes played on his ribcage like a demented xylophone. Needless to say, Sans steered clear of the gifts, even after Papyrus had been gone for hours. He instead flipped through the metric shit ton of Christmas specials and made an improv drinking game based off of tropes and emotionally manipulating ploys as thin as tissue paper. It was a fatal mistake to watch the Hallmark channel for this game, Sans had finally realized, when he tried to get another bottle of brandy and fell over.

Deciding that sobering up would be the wisest solution, he abandoned his game and switched to water. Later, he’d swear it was only because he was drunk as hell that he decided to engage in the Christmas tradition of baking cookies to leave for Santa. It wasn’t like anyone could _judge_ him, after all. The first batch was… a nightmare. Absolute garbage. By the time he tried again, he was sober enough to properly measure his ingredients… and not shove a tablespoon of thyme to make them bake faster. It wasn’t the most damning problem with the first batch, just the most telling of his drunk logic.

The _third_ batch was a proper batch of fucking gingerbread cookies. He had fun decorating them in sexy Christmas-themed lingerie for fun. Again, no one could judge him if they couldn’t see it in the first place. After eating a few and noting the time, Sans set the plate on the table, along with a glass of milk. So long as he was doing it, he might as well do it properly, after all. After that, he cleaned up his mess and went to bed, cheerful at the prospect of sleeping in. For a stern, no-nonsense skeleton, Papyrus never failed to wake up ridiculously early on Christmas Day. So it came as a surprise when he suddenly jolted awake several hours later to a small clatter and what he thought was laughter downstairs. With a sharp snap of magic he was downstairs and primed to kick ass—but certainly not able to.

There, on the table next to the plate of cookies he had left out, was the glass of milk tipped over. Frozen in surprise, rather like Sans, was the _tiniest_ human he had ever seen. She couldn’t have been taller than six inches, long dark chestnut hair tied in a ponytail. Her clothes were very makeshift. The top appeared to be a cream-colored piece of linen tied in a toga-like fashion over her shoulders. Her pants looked kind of like tights with thread keeping them in place. Over her shoulder and resting on her left hip was a bag with a loop of thread, two needles, what looked like a grappling hook attachment, and something else tucked inside that he couldn’t see. Next to her was a large paper crane that—Sans swore he must have still been drunk—actually seemed to startle and take off. That set off the tiny girl. She was surprisingly fast, but not faster than Sans. With a sharp snap of his fingers, a wave of red magic wrapped around the airborne paper crane and the girl. Gently, he brought her to his open hand, fierce expression relaxing at the obvious terror on her face.

“Relax, kid. I’m not going to eat you. Heh, no use crying over spilled milk.” He quipped, trying to reassure her. He earned a small, nervous laugh from his unexpected guest and he smiled softly, carefully taking a seat to get a good look at her. She was really light in his hand and surprisingly pretty now that he could see her face properly. She was a bit thin, likely from lack of food, but Sans was enchanted by her golden eyes regardless. He glanced at the cookies and couldn’t stop the blush when he noticed that there was a decent chunk missing from a scantily clad gingerbread lady, “So… I can make a good guess but why are you here?” Sans asked softly, not wanting to frighten her any more than necessary. Shakily, she sat down and opened her bag to reveal the chunk of gingerbread that was obviously taken.

“I-I… I’m sorry. I was just taking a little bit, I swear.” She murmured quietly with an anxious sniff, like she expected him to explode violently at what amounted to _crumbs_ , “I-I’ll be gone before you wake up in the morning…” Sans paused.

“You’re leaving? Why? I honestly don’t give a rat’s ass about the cookies. Are you aware of how cold it is out there?” Sans demanded, honestly feeling sick at the idea of this tiny girl out in the cold—in the _snow_. She seemed surprised by his words.

“You… You don’t care?” She asked suspiciously, “I-I’ve been here for almost a year without anyone knowing about it.” She admitted and Sans was honestly impressed. To _completely_ escape the notice of his household, she must be really good at hiding. Papyrus thought that they had mice for a while but dismissed the idea soon after.

“That’s… honestly pretty impressive. Not sure if you already know this, but I’m Sans.” He greeted in a relaxed manner, hoping to reassure the small human.

“I-I’m… I’m Anna… are you really not mad? At all?!” Sans shook his head.

“No. This is honestly the neatest thing to happen all day… night. I… I don’t know what time it is, but this is amazing.” Sans rambled a bit with a blush, “Uhm… I assume you just take little things no one would miss and that’s how you get by, right?” Anna nodded.

“Y-Yeah… it’s what we do.” Anna replied and Sans paused. It shouldn’t be a surprise to him that there were _more_ like her, but it kind of was.

“There are more of you?”

“Yeah. N-Not in this house though, I’m on my own here.” Anna quickly corrected herself and Sans was inclined to believe her.

“Do… do you guys always live by yourself?” Anna shook her head.

“It’s a… coming of age thing. And if the family gets too big. We can’t risk exposure… I-I really should leave here now that you’ve seen me.” Anna sighed, fidgeting with her clothes. Sans shook his head.

“There’s no need to. I won’t rat you out and neither will my folks. Dad might be super interested in how you can be so tiny, but he won’t hurt you. Papyrus will probably respect how stealthy you’ve been.” Sans could see that he wasn’t being very successful at reassuring her. The mere mention of _two_ other monsters knowing had her shaking in fear. It seemed wrong to force her to stay, but now wasn’t the time to disappear into the sunset, “It’s way too cold to leave right now… how about this, when spring comes, you can leave if you want. But until then, you’re a household secret. _If_ you’re really not comfortable with it, we can house hunt for somewhere else you can live.” Sans offered, hoping that she stays. The idea of a _tiny human_ secretly living with them was kind of enchanting… or maybe it was all the Christmas stuff getting to him. He honestly wasn’t sure at this point. She seemed uncertain but gave a small nod.

“A-Alright… I guess that sounds good.” She shifted nervously, “Ah… s-shouldn’t you go to bed soon?” She asked with a nervous glance.

“Yeah… probably.” Sans admitted, stretching out his hand to place it on the table and allow her to scurry off, “We can talk about everything else in the morning over breakfast.” Sans offered, smiling at how hopeful she looked. She gave him a resolute nod and signaled the paper crane that he’d long since let go. It glided down, allowing her to take a seat before taking off again.

“M-Merry Christmas Sans!” Anna shouted over her shoulder as she flew into the next room. Sans waved goodbye, allowing Anna to go to her home without spying for the location himself. He really hoped she was okay with staying, because he couldn’t _wait_ to see his brother’s reaction to this.

\--Papyrus, because why not—

He did _not_ like working over the holidays. It was originally not his intention to do so, shortage of employees or not, but the overtime was worth it. Besides, it gave him a chance to give Undyne her gift. A set of three finely crafted fin muffs. Like ear muffs for humans, but not. Undyne had trouble with the cold that could be dealt with by layering but her ear-fins didn’t quite fit comfortably under ear muffs. He knitted them himself with a modified pattern for socks… and then Undyne showed up to work with a _head warmer_ , which was basically a tube of fabric to wrap around your head for winter to cover your ears. He pointedly did _not_ sulk, no matter what Undyne says. Especially not after opening her gift and laughing, waggling her eyebrows at him while tapping the dark red fabric still covering her fins. She wore a fine pair of peppermint striped fin muffs anyway, which soothed his ego a bit, and thanked him with a friendly noogie. Something he only allowed in the spirit of Christmas and nothing more…

So he was in a somewhat exasperated mood when he came home around noon to find that Sans was _cooking breakfast_. He expected Sans to be asleep! He ducked his head into the kitchen, uncertain if this was a sleep-deprived hallucination, and paused. There, on the counter, was a _tiny fucking human_. Like, smaller than his _hand_ , and not a child! The human was clearly full grown but… only inches tall. Sans and the human seemed to chat happily together.

“—and it can fly, how the fuck do you manage that?!” Sans asked, keeping an eye on the bacon but still focusing quite heavily on the small human.

“Some borrowers have _gifts_. It’s rare, but we sometimes have something to make things easier for us. Moving around is difficult, but I can do it easily like this. And that’s not all I can do, just my favorite.” The small human’s voice wasn’t high-pitched like he expected, rather quite husky and feminine. Papyrus made the executive decision that he should go to sleep. A quick power nap to rid him of this bizarre hallucination of Sans awake before noon to make breakfast and to talk amicably with an extremely tiny human. He passed the kitchen, then the living room, giving it a surreptitious glance before freezing.

“Sans! I don’t care about this strange apparition you’re talking to, but if I wake up from my nap and see that you actually made _hoochie ginger bread cookies_ for Santa, I will put you on a hanging rod and sell you as an anatomy reference model!” Papyrus screeched before stomping upstairs with a burning sunset orange blush across his skull.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone's keeping up with my Tumblr, they already know that I'm putting priority on holiday-appropriate requests, mostly so I don't feel embarrassed to be handling a Christmas request in January. I even got a request in from Tumblr that's rather fun, so you may see it pop up in a few Christmas stories (as the request is a bit small to dedicate an entire chapter to). So you can thank argentdandelion for the idea of Papyrus crafting special 'fin mittens' for Undyne . And my roommate for the idea that she can just use a head warmer...They later clarified that they would like to see it in an Undertale context, rather than any other AU, so maybe I'll do a Christmas special for the UT, US, and UF in Christmas stories, like the "Gift of the Magi" and belief in Santa and what have you. Just short little stories within a chapter or two, so if you know any other Christmas stories, please feel free to request with that in mind!
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Oh... and feel free to tell me what you guys think of me possibly cross-posting on AO3 and Tumblr. It seems a bit excessive to post every chapter on both every single time, but I might just post a link to new updates so people without an account on here can keep up through Tumblr instead. Idk, it's just a thought...
> 
> As usual, here or on my Tumblr is totally fine to comment, request, or just ask questions! I'll answer as soon as I can, which is usually pretty fast. I have no social life...
> 
> Tumblr: https://mamamittens.tumblr.com/


	13. Battle of Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughtfully betad by FlamingoBlubber
> 
> Okay I'm doing this hot potato style and italics and bold aren't carrying over on my phone, so I'll delete this bit here when I can reupload this chapter properly... maybe Monday or Tuesday Bleh

Underecho: Jealous-Younger!Papyrus at Christmas time

 

The Great and Terrible Papyrus was a skeleton to be reckoned with! He would _not_ let this stand, not one _bit_! It was an absolute travesty—Sans was _his_ older brother! Not—Not this mysterious being on the other end of the phone! Papyrus was well within his right to claim his much deserved time with Sans, the lazy couch potato he was. He’d had the position of younger brother for _a whole eight years, three months, two weeks, and a day_! Which is _far more_ than could be said for—for… _whoever_ was taking up Sans’ time!

The whole affair _sickened_ him. Sans would be helping him with his homework, patiently walking him through long division, and his phone would beep. A few months ago, that would be the end of it. But!!! Not anymore!! Sans would unlock his phone and give his screen a _goofy_ grin, blush spreading over his cheekbones. And he’d have the audacity to _laugh_ at Papyrus when he rightfully demanded his attention again! But Papyrus was _merciful_ , he could accept the occasional lapse in his brother’s attention. _But over his dust would he meekly accept this mysterious being taking Sans away on **Christmas**_.

“Absolutely not, young man!” Sans blinked in what Papyrus chose to think of as understanding. Much like recent events though, Papyrus was wrong again.

“What? Paps, did you just call me ‘young ma—” Sans questioned but Papyrus was not having it.

“You are not running off on Christmas Eve with some stranger!” Papyrus screeched, father giving him a look over a folded newspaper before deciding to leave them to work things out on their own.

“Paps, she’s not a _stranger_!” Sans argued and Papyrus banged his fist on the table in denial.

“ _I_ don’t know ‘her’, therefore, she’s a stranger! And you’re not allowed to leave this house with a stranger!” Sans gave him a look of insubordination. Father snorted and gave Sans an amused look.

“He’s not _wrong_ on both accounts. He missed meeting your sweetheart when you brought her over last time, Sans. He was at a sleepover, remember?” Father reasoned and Papyrus puffed up with pride.

“It’s settled. You’re not leaving.” Papyrus declared, considering the matter settled. Sans was awestruck at his swift and decisive proclamation before shrugging.

“Well, if _I_ can’t leave, then I guess that just means she’ll have to come here. Is that alright with you, pops?” Papyrus froze in growing _horror_. He snapped his head at their father and screeched when he nodded.

“She’s a lovely young lady. But I thought she’d have family obligations?” Papyrus had never considered this angle. That he’d have to _meet_ this—this—this _horrible mysterious being_! They must be an eldritch horror, creeping into Papyrus’ life like this! With psychic powers! There’s no other way they could seep into Sans’ head like this—what was he _thinking_?! Inviting such a creature into their home!

“Nah, her folks are working and Brian is going to be at a friends’ place for the night.” Sans droned on in the background, but Papyrus’ mind was reeling, only faintly registering what was being said. Terror gripped his Soul.

“Ah, can I trust you to behave or shall I prepare a guest room?”

“W-What?! Why are you asking if _I_ ’ll behave?”

“Because I’ve met her, Sans. And I _raised_ you. I’m well aware how you turned out. Papyrus, you’re bottom jaw will fall clean off if you don’t return to your senses soon.” Papyrus snapped back into reality, fangs clicking back together in a grimace and he glared at Sans. Understandably, Sans seemed taken aback by this.

“ _When_?” Papyrus needed to prepare for _war_.

“What? When what?” Sans asked and Papyrus hissed.

“When is this ‘she’ coming over?” Sans shrugged.

“This is a rather sudden change of plans. I imagine I’ll pick her up sometime this afternoon and she’ll stay the night.” Papyrus nodded and finished his breakfast swiftly. He ignored the confused calls of his brother as he left the room. If he was supposed to free Sans from an eldritch horror, he’d need proper _armor_. And possibly a sword. Will it need to be blessed or will regular iron work?

\--No chill—

“Pops? Paps? I’m home.” Papyrus scrambled out of his room, leaping over the stairs and sticking the landing. He brandished his sword and gave a battle cry, receiving a startled exclamation of—

“Holy shit!” Papyrus froze at the feminine voice. There, standing by Sans with her hand clasped in his, was a _human girl_ … She wasn’t an eldritch horror at all. She looked… rather weak, actually. A bit on the pale side for humans, with dark brown hair in a bob and soft gold eyes. She was dressed for the cold weather, red scarf wound around her neck and a black wool jacket buttoned up to her chin. He’d never admit it but… Papyrus was kind of disappointed that she turned out to be a human. Hours spent polishing his armor—and for what? A fleshy _girl_?

“Paps… what the fuck?” Sans asked in confusion and Papyrus shuffled awkwardly in his armor. It was from Halloween, when he dressed as a dark knight, and made by Sans himself with real metal in black and dark red.

“Uhm… you look _really_ ready for the Nutcracker… Pretty impressive, actually.” The human murmured softly with a small smile. Papyrus had to beat down the urge to puff up with pride at the compliment. Instead, he bluffed.

“But of course! I am the Great and Terrible Papyrus! No army can withstand my might!” The human nodded in agreement—it was admirable that she could recognize greatness… if only she wasn’t responsible for _stealing his brother as well_.

“So… are you planning on wearing that all night?” Papyrus considered the question and shook his head. No, he made a miscalculation. This was not proper wear for fighting a _human_. This required more… _subtle means_.

“I will return in more proper attire!” He exclaimed with a bounce, eagerly returning to his room to exchange his armor for a Christmas sweater and overalls. Perfect seasonal wear with enough durability that he could wrestle for dominance if need be without ruining his appearance. When he got back downstairs, Sans was sitting on the couch with the human, watching a Christmas special. Papyrus huffed before bounding over and sitting directly in Sans lap in a show of dominance. Sans and the human laughed but no one argued. Perfect. Papyrus gave the human a triumphant glare. The first battle may have been a flop, but the second was all his! Later battles proved to be more difficult.

When he demanded that he get to choose the next special, no one disagreed, but then father came in and picked one despite Papyrus’ prior claim. After that, Papyrus wheedled Sans into building a snowman with him, as per tradition, naively believing that the human wouldn’t want to go out into the cold. _But she followed and proceeded to make a snowman of surprising quality_. In a confusing attempt to rub her victory in his face, she asked him for help putting the head on the snowman. Even lifting him up to ease the process. Papyrus was not familiar with this form of boasting but refused to falter. Next, he proclaimed he was cold and wanted hot chocolate, believing that Sans would make him his special cocoa. But father had beaten him to it, having already made three identical cups. How was he supposed to be superior if his cocoa was exactly like the human’s cocoa?! The whole _evening_ went like that. His victory either incredibly minor or soundly defeated with seemingly no effort. By bedtime, Papyrus reluctantly had to concede to his opponent. For the time being.

He cornered her while Sans was in the shower. She was already dressed and ready for bed, her pajamas decorated with snowflakes.

“Papyrus?” She asked softly, seemingly not sure how to take the odd look of defeat on his features.

“You are a worthy opponent. I am, as of this night, outclassed. But I won’t give up!” Papyrus hissed, “He is _my_ big brother, not yours!” She frowned in confusion.

“Of course he is, Papyrus… I’m not entirely sure what you’re talking about, though.” She said, frustrating Papyrus.

“You’ve been stealing him from me, don’t think I haven’t noticed! Why?! He’s a half-baked couch potato, but he’s _my_ half-baked couch potato! Get your own big brother!” Papyrus demanded. If he could obtain this crucial information, maybe he could win the war despite the battles lost. But the human seemed even more confused.

“Papyrus… I already have a big brother. I don’t want or _need_ another one.” _That_ took all the wind out of his sails.

“… _What_?!” Papyrus flailed, “Then—Then _why are you here!?_ ” she smiled.

“Papyrus… Sans and I are dating. I _promise_ you, I don’t want him as a brother.” She kneeled down before him, “I’m sorry that you’ve felt like I’ve been stealing him from you. That was _never_ my intention.” Papyrus’ mind reeled.

“You… are date-mates?” _Of course_ … it made so much _sense_. His position as younger brother wasn’t being _usurped_. Sans wasn’t being _stolen_. Some of his classmates had started finding their own ‘date-mates’. Personally, he didn’t understand the appeal, but he knew enough to understand that it was an entirely different relationship than siblings. The human nodded with a smile.

“Yeah. Don’t think I’ve ever heard that term before, but yeah.” Papyrus took a step back, that uncomfortable feeling in his Soul dissipating, leaving him floundering.

“Oh… uhm… goodnight, human.” Papyrus murmured before retreating to his room. He fell asleep sometime later, still not sure how to feel about this new revelation.

When he woke up, it was Christmas morning, his uncertainty temporarily being overpowered by joy. With glee, he ran downstairs to find his father already drinking coffee. Sans and the human cuddled on the couch together. Sans waved his hand at Papyrus.

“Heya, Paps. Check it out, you’ve got quite a few presents under the tree.” The passing of presents started then, Papyrus ending up with the biggest pile. Sans had a respectable hoard of wrapped boxes and the human and his father had just about the same amount, but Papyrus didn’t think too hard on it, gleefully unpacking his stocking instead before moving onto the boxes. He received everything he asked for. Cook books, legos, and all. But there was one box, startlingly different from the others with a pale blue wrapper and gossamer bow, that Papyrus didn’t recognize. Papyrus read the tag. _To Papyrus, from Anna_ … Anna? He glanced up at the human who smiled softly, a somewhat uncertain air about her. She was nervous? He unwrapped the box and found a hand-bound book, leather cover embossed with the title _The Great and Terrible Captain Papyrus_. Inside the cover was another inscription, _“Can I call you ‘little brother’?”_. The pages inside were glossy, clearly watercolor illustrations with delicate calligraphy depicting a story. A story about _his_ exploits as a captain of the royal guard and master chef. He looked older in the book, but undeniably regal. It was _perfect_. With shaky hands he put down the book and launched himself at _Anna_. She returned the hug in surprise, Sans laughing softly beside them.

“Thank you for the gift, Anna.”

“No problem, Papyrus.” Papyrus shook his head.

“No… you can call me your little brother… I don’t mind.” He pulled back to glare at Sans, “Maybe a little competition can whip Sans into proper shape.” Sans froze in shock before sticking his tongue out at Papyrus and blew a raspberry. Papyrus returned the favor and it wasn’t long before it escalated to a full-blown tickle war—culminating in the ultimate betrayal on Anna’s part when she held up his arms to allow Sans complete access to the sides of his ribcage. Papyrus wasn’t too put out though, because Sans turned on Anna and teamed up with Papyrus—as it turned out, Anna was a _lot more ticklish than him_. Looks like he won the war after all…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something too cute for the holidays cx  
> Mah, I might do something spicy for Christmas or think a bit longer on prompts... It's surprisingly difficult to think of what to do for a 'gift of the magi' au thingy... If you're confused as to what the hell I'm talking about, see if you can't find/recall that Micky mouse short where Minnie and Mickey struggle to give the other the perfect give and end up selling a prized possession to get it only to find that they both cancelled out each other's gifts but they're happy and it's super cute.  
> Anyway, I can't guarantee that any other Christmas prompts will get filled in the next three days, but I can try.  
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed, feel free to comment or request something here or through my Tumblr ;)


	14. Sans (In Ariel font): Fishy Friendship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing too bad here except implied intent for sexual assault and a near-drowning experience. I can't really recall drowning myself, or not very well, as it almost happened once but my long-term memory is spotty at best, so it shouldn't be too intense and I kept it short because of my lack of knowledge.
> 
> As always, FlamingoBlubber kindly Beta'd this chapter CX

UltimateGamer101: Mermaid!Sans & pirate-captive!Anna

 

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a best friend. He was the _bestest_ friend I could ever ask for, but he was also a secret. Well, he was _supposed_ to be a secret, but Brian caught us playing in the surf when I was six. But Brian is the best big brother I could ask for, so he didn’t tell mom and dad about Sans. Sans, for his part, still thought that _his_ brother was the best. We’d argue about it often, play fighting in the water and splashing each other for hours. The reason he was supposed to be a secret is because of who, or rather, _what_ , he is.

Sans is an odd skeleton mermaid. For his upper body, he was mostly a skeleton with thick bones and some predatory features. His fangs were sharp, even the gold tooth that was somehow fused to his skull, and his phalanges resembled claws. Between his fingers I could see thin membranes, like pale pink webbing, but only when the light hit it just right. From about the bottom of his ribcage down there was a faint transparent body that thickened to the point that I could barely see the bones in his tail. It was a vivid red with splotchy dark red spots here and there. It felt a bit slimy to the touch after swimming for a few hours, but I’ve gotten used to it by now. He was also an absolute worry wart, forever concerned about my safety when I wasn’t right within arm’s reach.

I wasn’t sure _why_ , but it may have had something to do with my own brand of ‘magic’. Ever since I was really young, I’ve been able to move water. Rather, I could make it move, shape it into whatever I wanted, just like it was alive. I’ve made water creatures that played in the surf, clear fish that sieged Sans at my behest. Sans has always regarded my strange gift as proof I was somehow ocean royalty or something. He liked to call me ‘Princess’ and _hated_ it when I played in the water without him around. He was quite the mother-hen for a mermaid. Which was why, when I had to go somewhere by ship and _leave_ for at least a year, Sans was not having it. Thankfully, I knew it was coming and had planned accordingly.

“You can’t just leave! I don’t know what I’d do for a whole year by myself! What if you get into trouble, Anna?” Sans rambled madly, his tail slapping the water’s surface in frustration, his upper body braced against the rock I was sitting on.

“Well Sans, it’s not like I can tell my parents that I can’t visit my aunt because my fishy friend is a mother hen.” I reasoned carefully before pulling out my secret weapon. With a playful grin, I leaned down and kissed his cheek bone before murmuring against his skull, “Besides, it’s not like you can’t _swim_ alongside the boat.” Sans paused before perking up in excitement. He wasn’t _usually_ willing to do a lot of exercise, but I guessed correctly when I assumed that making sure I was safe sweetened the deal for him. He still pouted a bit, but no longer looked like he wanted to drag me into an isolated cove for my own protection.

“…Alright, fine. But if you don’t talk to me every night, I’m taking you back, Princess!” Sans snapped and I couldn’t help but laugh at him.

“Don’t you worry your tailfin, Sans. I will. But… out of curiosity, how would you accomplish that? Flop onto the deck and screech at the sailors?” I laughed, earning a glare that shifted into a grin as he yanked me into the water, claws poking up and down my sides and neck until I was breathless with laughter. My clothes were soaked but his tight grip kept me afloat as he nuzzled my neck in mock apology. Bastard wasn’t sorry at all.

\--Ahoy!—

It was a bit difficult to sneak out at night to talk to Sans—who cheated by tying himself to the back of the boat with ‘magic’ instead of swimming himself—but I managed it. Sailing was rather boring if you weren’t allowed to scrub the deck or just help around the ship. Good old Rocky, a friend of the family with a _curiously_ hard to spot accent, portly barrel-belly, and blond hair tinged with gray, allowed me to help the chef, but it wasn’t the same. There just wasn’t anything to _do_ during the day _or_ night. I complained about it to Sans quite often, but he’d only suggest the same thing.

“If it’s so boring, Princess, then jump down here and I’ll _gladly_ take you home. Put all this nonsense behind us and have fun on the beach like always.” Sans cooed in temptation. I shook my head.

“No, I can’t do that, Sans. Rocky would have an aneurism. He’d _old_ , Sans, he really can’t afford it at his age.” Sans snorted and slapped his tail through the surface of the water and back down again.

“And what about my heart, Princess? Sea creatures are delicate, you know. I’m not sure if the worry is good for my health at this rate.” Sans crooned with a grin and I let out a quiet bark of laughter.

“Hah! You? delicate? What a laugh, Sans. Get outta here with that nonsense—hey, has that ship always been there?” I asked, pointing to the faint outline of a ship to the East of us, only just barely catching the moonlight. The sea was calm and travel slow with no winds right now. It would probably be a lot closer by tomorrow afternoon, unless the wind picks up. Sans looked and scowled.

“Probably another merchant ship… But I think it’s time you went to bed. Unless you want to go home?” Sans asked but I laughed and shook my head.

“No, Sans. Good night.”

“Night, Princess. Sweet dreams.” I rolled my eyes at Sans and ducked back inside.

The next day was spent being bored out of my mind, peeling potatoes for dinner that night. The chef, Nino, was nice, but quiet. Perfectly able to spend hours in his thoughts, which was… not one of my stronger talents. Not after being spoiled with endless, goofy conversations with Sans for hours on end. The door slammed open and I narrowly avoided carving up my own hand in fright as an unfamiliar sailor barged in, pistol level at Nino and I.

“One bad move and I’ll kill the both of you! Now get on deck!” He growled. Nino and I shared a single glance before cooperating quietly, the thought of making a fuss far from our minds. My growing suspicion was proven correct when we made it onto the deck and found that a large ship was connected to ours by rope and boards. Pirates were milling about on deck, most of them circling the crew tied up around the mast. The pirate captain, at least according to his fancy hat and jacket, grinned at us.

“I thought there might be more hiding below deck. Come along then, join your crewmates. This isn’t personal, you see. Well, for all but one of you, that is.” Nino and I cautiously stepped past the pirate captain, my eyes just catching his, and he held out his arm in front of me, “Ah! There ya are, Annabeth Collins.” I flinched away from him, but he simply wrapped his arm around my shoulders and laughed.

“Uhm… I don’t believe we’ve met. No one calls me _Annabeth_.” I murmured uncertainly, looking at the thirty-something pirate captain with scraggly black hair, a matching beard, and flinty dark brown eyes. He grinned sharply.

“No, we haven’t. I am Captain Tanners, at your service… Your _brother_ on the other hand, well, he bested me a few months back and I’d like to repay the favor. You have such fierce eyes, rather like your brother, I’d know them anywhere. I thought that I’d catch him again, but you will do just fine for when I find him again.” He pointed at the impressive scar across his cheek.

“What the fuck!? He did _what_?!” I didn’t even know he had _met_ a pirate, let alone _‘bested’_ one! Did it happen almost a year ago when he took charge of a trading boat for a while? ‘Boring trip there and back’ my _fucking ass_! Now that I thought about it, he was actually on a trip right _now_ , captaining another trade ship, wasn’t he? The whole pirate gang seemed to think my surprise was funny, “So what, you hoping for a rematch or something?” I asked, rather hoping all he wanted was a chance to face my brother again. The Captain Tanners gripped the back of my shirt and dragged me towards his ship. Any thought of using magic was put to the side for as long as they had _guns_. I didn’t think I could move fast enough to save them or myself if a pirate decided to shoot.

“Or something…” I felt my heart race as I was pulled over the board crossing both ships, my eyes glimpsing a flash of red in the water. Sans was going to be _so pissed_ , “Alright men, tie em up long enough to see us gone and get moving!” He paused on the deck between the Captain’s quarters and the entryway into the hull and gave me a considering look. Nervous and uncertain I returned his stare.

“Yes?” I asked and he grinned, eyes sizing up my humble attire.

“I was just deciding where to put you. The cells are more secure for sure, but you’re a _guest_ , and I’d hate for my hospitality to be called into question.” There was a peculiar _slant_ to his grin, one that I’d seen on occasion with Sans, but most clearly on sailors with their ‘ladies’. I don’t _think_ that I’d enjoy his version of ‘hospitality’. The ship rocked as the pirates separated the two ships. Captain Tanners nodded to himself, “Hospitality, I should think, though I’m afraid I have pressing matters to attend to at the moment. But I will join you soon, dear Annabeth.” He shoved me into the room and closed the door with a soft click. It was cluttered with knickknacks and a large table with a map in the center. There was a window in the back, a bit small but serviceable. I ran over and stared out at the water, unable to see any sign of Sans. At first. But there he was, circling the ship like a shark, movements sharp and _pissed_.

I knocked on the window several times, and Sans suddenly stopped, face surfacing and snapping in my direction. Despite the distance, I could tell he was glaring. He sank back down under the water and I felt _afraid_ as I spotted the ship I was on before slowly being left behind. Sans couldn’t _help_ me here, the most he could do was provide a distraction by screaming obscenities at the pirates. I considered doing something with the water, but what? I can’t sink the ship, not while I was locked inside. Well, I _might_ be able to do it, but it would be risky. Any riskier than staying here, waiting for that ‘hospitality’? But I didn’t even get to decide before a sudden crash rocked the ship, knocking over several weighted vases and sending me to the floor.

“What the— _Sans_?” Another hard crash jerked the ship, this time from the opposite end. I could hear panicked screams from outside.

“We’re under attack!”

“From what?! I can’t see a damn thing out there!”

“A kraken?” Another brutal smash to the hull, this time the ship stayed tilted. Sans broke through the hull. I reevaluated the window. It was big enough to get through, sure, but there wasn’t a latch in sight. I’d have to break it if I wanted to get out before the ship sank clean underwater.  The door rattled heavily before unlocking, Captain Tanners looked frazzled and _furious_.

“What manner of beast have you brought the wrath of upon my ship, witch!” I shook my head but he closed the door behind him and stumbled my way regardless, “Answer me!” I pressed against the window and shook my head again.

“I-I—” I wasn’t even sure _how_ Sans was doing it, let alone did I have the desire to tell _him_!

“Then I shall just have to give you to the beast, or risk losing the life of myself and the crew!” Captain Tanners reached out and grabbed weighted chains. I tried to move past him in a rush, but he swung the ball end of the chain and clocked the back of my head soundly—pain flashing through my skull and white noise filled my head. Distantly, I felt the cold iron being wrapped around my torso, a sharp click sounding behind me. My hair, which was hardly all that long being just a short bob around my chin, was yanked as I was dragged across the floor. A scream ripping from my throat in pain as another harsh smack rocked the ship. I yelped as I was shoved off the boat, my stomach dropping in terror as I tried to take a deep breath.

I succeeded, but as I struggled in the water, the surface quickly drawing away, I realized it was a futile effort. My sight grew darker and I could have sworn I saw a large white creature above me and a smaller red form flickering above me. I _pushed_ the water around me as my breath left me in a desperate attempt to breath air that just wasn’t there. It _burned_ as water flooded my lungs, my chest feeling compressed as I felt something on my arms. My eyes snapped open as I felt a pressure on my lips, warmth bubbling over my skin and covering my whole body. Sans was _right there_ , bright red eyes desperate as small red bubbles of magic dripped from his eye sockets. He pulled back and my lungs spasmed under a warm and gentle force—water somehow no longer _drowning_ me, feeling rather like breathing in thick, salty air. I gasped, sobbing as I struggled against the inevitable crash of adrenaline.

“Easy, Princess. I got ya. I just need to—” Sans formed a glowing red bone and severed a link in the chain around my chest and arms, “There, you’re free now.” I wrapped my arms around his ribcage and sobbed harshly.

“S-Sans, I-I thought—” Sans held me tight and crooned in my ear.

“Easy, it’s alright. I’ve got you, you can’t drown ever again. I promised I would keep you safe, Anna.” Sans twitched his tail, steadily bringing us back to the surface. I saw large… _sea dragons?_ They were skeletal, but undeniably more reptilian in nature. The pirate ship almost entirely sunken but no pirates in sight. Did they drown already?

“W-Where… where are the pirates?” Sans grinned boldly and glanced at one of the passing… sea dragon skeletons.

“Nowhere you need to worry over, Princess.” We broke through the water and, after a brief moment of coughing up water, fresh air filled my lungs with no problem.

“What now, Sans? Should I… go back to the ship?” I looked around but found no trace of it, the winds clearly good enough to have carried the pirates farther than I thought. Sans shook his head and frowned.

“Absolutely not. I… I was really worried, Anna. I’m not sure I’ll be able to handle you going away after this.” He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against mine, “I love you, Anna. So much more than I’ve led on. Please… won’t you stay with me? You can live with me underwater now, no problem…” I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. Sans was my _bestest friend_. Of course I loved him… maybe even as something more, but after being so close to death, it was hard to think past the comforting embrace of his arms. I had never… really considered being more than friends. But I knew Sans deserved only the best. No split-second decision of commitment. I’ll _always_ be friends with him, regardless, but I wouldn’t blindly jump into this and risk ruining everything because the romantic love wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

“Will I have to leave my family behind forever?” I whispered over the waves as Sans shook his head in response.

“No, I’d never ask that of you. You’re not restricted to just water, after all. So long as you come back to me, you can visit however many times you want, Princess.” Sans replied softly in return.

“I… Sans, I know I love you. You’re my world, Sans. But I don’t know if… what I guess I’m saying is—or rather asking if we could… court first? I don’t want to hurt you. Or lose my best friend.” Sans laughed softly.

“Of course, Princess! Papyrus would strangle me if I tried to just be mates without _some_ courting first. We can meet him on the way back home.” Sans spun us in a circle and laughed, “All I ask for is a chance to prove myself!”

“And all I want is to earn it.” I replied, my cheeks almost blistering red. Sans pressed a gentle kiss to my lips and sighed.

“We’ve got a long way to swim, and you’ve had _a day_.” One of the sea dragons drew close, jaws opening wide and gently closing around us, encasing us in almost total darkness and entirely in water.

“Sans!?” I screeched as he leaned back and pulled me onto his chest, body settling on what felt like solid ground.

“Relax, Anna. My old buddy will take us most of the way. I just didn’t want to force you to swim after almost… dying. Sleep, Princess. You’re safe here.” He whispered as my eyes adjusted to the darkness and picked up the faint illumination of his magic body. He encouraged me to close my eyes. The water was cold at first, being of the sea naturally, but warmed up to a tolerable temperature rather quickly inside the… mouth of the creature.

“Alright.” I yawned, feeling the crash weigh down my body and mind, “Sans?”

“Yeah, Princess?” he asked softly, claws coming through my hair gently.

“Thanks for saving me.”

“Anytime, Princess. Consider me your knight in scaly armor.” I snorted faintly and closed my eyes, safe and happy in his arms. And in the jaws on whatever the hell this creature was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got in two more requests, though I'm waiting for extra confirmation on one of them, from an anon on Tumblr. But here's the list so far, in no particular order:
> 
> An anon & (more recently) KnittingSamurai: follow up Naga!Sans who's a messy eater and a bit ridiculous about providing food.
> 
> Shy anon: Giant!Sans and unwillingly kept Anna.
> 
> Tumblr anon: 'Hopeful Magic' 'body swap au' (uncertain if just characters moved about or an au take on a scene) on my favorite or easiest scene from that fic.
> 
> Tumblr anon: prequel for 'Troubled Waters' (presumably were Anna and Sans meet for the first time).
> 
> Myself, half-assedly: nonsensical Tired-of-the-wizarding-world's-nonsense!Harry Potter takes a train and ends up being the mayor of an Animal Crossing: New Leaf town. Stuck between him accidentally being really good at his job or just giving up fighting his ridiculous life and goes with it all. Maybe both. But the idea tickles me every time I remember it.
> 
> Anyway, that's all I've got planned for the moment. School starts back up on the 16th and one of my classes, in particular, is a bit reading heavy (but it's called Defense Against the Dark Arts and focuses on the role of literature in social revolutions--I.E. way too cool as a concept, so it should be fun). But I shouldn't fall too far behind on anything once I get back into gear from the Holiday Slump.
> 
> I hope you guys liked this chapter and if you have a request, or even additional ideas for current requests, feel free to shoot them my way here or on my Tumblr: https://mamamittens.tumblr.com/   
> Your commentary and interactions with me and my work give me LIFE!!!


	15. Giant Baby Steps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta's by FlamingoBlubber and I can't really think of any warnings for this chapter, so enjoy~

Shy anon: Giant!Sans & Unwillingly-kept!Anna

Giants. Terrifying, legendary creatures literally bigger than life. It was said that they lived high up in the clouds. They were not wrong. It is also said that they hoard beautiful things, particularly gold and magical items. That would _also_ be true.

Hiding under a table in an abandoned house, I couldn’t bring myself to marvel at the real-life legend walking among the ghost town’s houses. The marvel had worn off about fifteen seconds after meeting him—Sans, the giant. Cabinet doors and drawers rattled as Sans’ unmistakable footsteps stalked the empty streets. I imagine my old town had been abandoned some months prior—when Sans originally came down from the clouds and raided the inhabitants of gold, jewels, and even kidnapping me.

“I’ve got all day, sweetheart. I _know_ you’re here. Just come out and that’ll be the end of it, I swear.” Sans’ gravelly voice echoed high above me, loud and clear, “If not… we’ll have _problems_.” Sans had never been _violent_ towards me before, but it was hard not to be at least intimidated when faced with someone who’s _shoes_ were big enough to be a twin-sized bed. When I ran away in the first place my intention was to go _home_. I missed my family a lot and had hoped to squeeze in just a short visit before Sans realized I was gone—I already knew it was too much to hope that Sans would just forget about me.

Taking a moment to steady my shaking hands, fists clenched in the pale pink dress Sans had given me a week prior, I readied myself to run out of town. My old house was just a ways out from the main cluster of houses and businesses, but there were plenty of trees to shield me from Sans’ view. Assuming I could make it without getting spotted. I glanced around the house for anything that could help but found nothing but a torn paper doll and a worn, rough canvas sheet. Blowing softly on the paper doll, I waited a moment for it to twitch and clumsily stand up, somewhat unsteady due to how thin the paper was. It looked at me with roughly drawn eyes and nodded, wax smile melting a bit to appear more determined. Then it jumped out the window, making its way towards another house several streets over to create enough noise to distract Sans. The canvas sheet would help me blend in better than the dress.

The moment I heard the faint sound of a door slamming in the distance, I bolted for the trees as quietly as possible. My heart pounded as I clutched the canvas over my head and jumped over bushes, narrowly tripping into them instead. The heavy sound of Sans’ footsteps behind me and moving away from my direction.

“Getting nervous, little dove? You should be…” I accidentally slammed my shoulder into a tree in fright, jaw clenching to hold back the reflexive cry of pain, but I was _almost there_. Breathing heavily through my nose, I broke the tree line surrounding my old home and narrowly avoided slamming into the door in my haste. With shaking hands, I opened the door carefully and shut it softly behind me, taking a moment to rest my head on the door and just breathe. When my lungs didn’t feel like they were screaming I turned around, half expecting to see my brother lounging in a chair, reading one of his favorite books. But it was empty. Completely void of life and furniture. I… I suppose in hindsight I should have realized that my family would have moved away when the rest of the town did but… it hurt.

The house itself wasn’t very big, my feet dragging across the wooden floor as I stepped through where the table used to be. Past the kitchen, bare of pots and pans, and the large dining table and cabinet of fine china that was no longer there. The walls only holding nails where mom used to hang herbs to dry or even the family apron. I spared a glance into my parent’s room—empty. My brother’s room was barren of even the dirt that must have been piled under his bed from never cleaning it properly. And mine—devoid of bed and dresser but there, in the center, was a folded-up quilt, my old stuffed rabbit, and a slightly yellowed letter. The afternoon sun just barely touching the only items left in the entire house. I dropped the canvas sheet and kneeled down on the floor to open the letter with my name written in fine calligraphy across the front of the envelope.

Paper crinkled softly as I gently removed the letter and read through the contents. The village _had_ evacuated after Sans ransacked them. They had looked for me for almost a week before giving up, eventually coming to the conclusion that the giant had stolen me away as well. They left my grandmother’s quilt that I used to wrap myself up in after a bad dream or a terrible storm from when I was little, as well as Babby the Rabbit, just so I’d have something to return to in case I ever escaped before they could find a knight to rescue me. I didn’t recognize the town name that they had mentioned as their new destination. I couldn’t read the last few lines, my eyes burning with tears.

Maybe I _did_ expect Sans to just let me go. Perhaps I seriously thought that my family would still be around after being missing for months. I shoved the letter into the wide band of dark red fabric around my waist and grabbed Babby, the quilt quickly being draped over my shoulders as I left through the back door. It slammed shut behind me and I couldn’t bring myself to care as I sat on the old oak stump overlooking the neglected garden my father used to tend to. I shoved the quilt over my head and nuzzled into Babby’s worn white, cotton body. She smelled like bread, stew, and old soap.

Truth be told, it wasn’t all that _bad_ with Sans. Aside from missing my family and Sans’ cocky belief that his treasure was more than enough to make me want to be there, it was actually kind of fun. I had to be creative to move around the giant-sized furniture and Sans’ reaction every time he caught me climbing down a make-shift ladder was pretty amusing. Sure, he’d gripe at me for risking my head to climb the bookshelf, but then he’d lift me up himself. And he always seemed to be on edge, waiting for the first hint that I might fall off the table. At night, he’d open up this large story book and read aloud, claiming that he used to do it for his brother when he was younger. But with his brother grown up, he missed it and did it out of habit now, my presence being an excuse to continue the tradition more than anything else. I had to wipe my face a few times, my tears soaking Babby’s cloth body to the point that I couldn’t breathe with my face pressed into her. I missed the sound of Sans’ footsteps approaching me, the ground shaking as he stepped over my house and blocked the sunlight from my perch.

“There ya are, sweetheart…” I jerked at the sound of his voice and sniffled, quilt falling off of my head as I looked back at him, my eyes likely almost as red as the glowing lights in his sockets. He stopped, cocky grin falling into an uncomfortable and uncertain expression. He glanced back at my house before looking at me with a somewhat thoughtful look, “That your house, Anna?” I nodded, wiping away at my eyes before turning away from him.

“Yeah…” Sans hummed, something warm brushing over my back. A glance informed me that it was his knuckle, gently rubbing over my spine. I looked at Sans and caught sight of a large glass jar secured around his waist, soft pillows of multiple sizes and a blanket inside. Usually, Sans put me in the jar when he was tired of me ‘risking my neck’ climbing up furniture or after arguing with him about going home, “…I just wanted to see them again. But everyone moved away.” I sighed, barely managing to not erupt into even more tears.

“Anna…” Sans whispered softly in a strained voice.

“I-I guess I should go in the jar now…” I declared, not moving from my spot. Sans made an odd noise, like a whine or a sigh, and cupped his hands around the stump and myself. Carefully, he brought up his hands until I was firmly in his grasp.

“I’m sorry.” I jolted in surprise, having never heard Sans’ say that in the entire time I’d been with him. I twisted around and looked up at him, a bit startled to find that he’d brought his cupped hands and myself right in front of his face, “I made a mistake. Quite a lot of them, actually. I’ve been stealing from people in the hopes that I’d impress my brother with my hoard of treasure. I’ve been filling my empty house with stolen valuables to make up for living alone. I kidnapped you when that wasn’t enough. I kept you, against your will, because I was selfish. And worst of all, I’m the reason you’re crying. You, the one human that never hated me on sight or was so afraid that you refused to argue with me. At every turn, you’d gladly tear me a new one for whatever bullshit I’d done. I’m _sorry_ , Anna. Truly, I’m so sorry.” I stared at him, astounded at the turn of events.

“Sans?” I asked but he shook his head.

“Did they leave a note or something about where they went? I’ll take you there. Leave you alone, you’d never have to see me again.” He suggested and I stared at him, thinking of the times he fretted over my well-being. The goofy, lopsided bowl he tried to carve so I could eat stew with him before giving up and just letting me use an ornate silver bowl he’d stolen a few years back. How happy he was to tell bedtime stories to _anyone_ , even a captive audience.

“Sans… what about you?” He seemed surprised at my question, “But then _you’ll_ be alone. You’re kind of an ass, sure, but… that wouldn’t be fair.” Sans snorted and gave me a wobbly smirk.

“Are you sure you should be asking that? I’ve _killed_ people. Stolen from countless towns. Fuck, I _kidnapped_ you!” I shrugged sheepishly at his pointed enquiry.

“Well, yeah. I _said_ you were an ass, Sans. I’m not suddenly blind to your faults.” I snapped at him, “I’m just… saying, that’s all. I… wouldn’t mind being friends. The whole reason I wanted to go home was to see my family, I wasn’t against living away from them. Not being a prisoner is just a basic standard I have for living somewhere, Sans. You’re not too bad when you’re being a dork. Biting your claws because I jump across a gap between a couch and a table. That kind of stuff, not being all like ‘why would you want to leave?! I have so much _gold_!’” I explained and Sans looked positively _floored_. He squinted at me in confusion.

“Are you _sure_ you’re human, Anna? Because most humans would have spent three days screaming, the next four cursing my name, and then when they finally escape, do their level best to never be found my me again.” Sans ranted in a somewhat shrill voice, not quite able to understand why I _didn’t_ do all that. I laughed a little and shrugged. Sans leaned back a bit and sighed, “Well, I guess we can go find your family tomorrow. It’s almost sunset and it gets a bit hard to see all the small houses when it’s dark out. Does… that sound alright to you, Anna?” Sans asked and I laughed.

“Yeah. You’d probably scare quite a few hunters if you tried to run through the countryside looking for the town, all in the dark. Probably trip over an old oak or something.” I teased and Sans scoffed, slowly standing up and preparing to take a ‘shortcut’.

“I would _not_! Lies and vicious slander!” Sans playfully cried as we went from outside my home to in Sans’ living room within the span of a heartbeat. Sans carefully set me down on the table and sighed, “Well, I guess I should throw this out and get to making dinner.” Sans declared, patting the jar still attached to his belt. I shook my head and laughed.

“If that’s you hoping I’ll never argue with you again, you’re better off putting on the shelf like always. I’m sure I’ll find something else to argue with you about in the near future!” I sniffed with a goofy grin, “It’s the only way you’ll ever win an argument with me anyway!” Sans snorted with me and shook his head.

“Whoever said anything about winning an argument? I just put you in the jar to make sure you don’t pace right off the edge of the table after the first time you ripped me a new one for trying to buy your cooperation!” Sans playfully poked my side and I huffed.

“One time! And I _almost_ fell!” I defended myself with an embarrassed huff.

“Because I caught the back of your shirt!” Sans shot back and I waved him away with one hand.

“Whatever! Go cook or something, I’m sick of your nonsense!” I declared, Sans laughing but moving to make supper anyway. Ass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, my to-do-list is pretty promising, in no particular order;
> 
> An anon & KnittingSamuria: follow up to Naga!Sans and messy eater with instinctive, defensive desire to be a good food provider.
> 
> Tumblr anon: Troubled Waters prequel
> 
> Tumblr anon: Body swap AU for Hopeful Magic
> 
> Myself: Mayor!Harry Potter in Animal Crossing New Leaf with shenanigans
> 
> Yizuki_Khonsu: Mafia!Sans and literal songbird!Anna (blue streaked red lory, cause they look so neat)
> 
> FlamingoBlubber: Sans summoning Demon!Anna out of desperation
> 
> woo! What a line up, and I'm going to try to do at least one more before college starts up on the 16th. And maybe update one of my other stories, it's been... well a WHILE, to say the least. Idk what it is about winter break that makes me want to just sleep for 16 hours every day and do nothing but read fanfics. >-< I consider it a miracle if I remember to eat some sort of meal more than once a day instead of snacking on candy I've hoarded. Oh, and I've also done some art related things on my blog. Put together a speedpaint, put it on vimeo cause Tumblr couldn't handle the size of the full thing. Seems my philosphy is do things cause why not.
> 
> Anyway, I hope the chapter was satisfactory! CX Feel free to comment or request here or on my Tumblr, I'd like to just remind ya'll that this isn't Undertale specific or anything, it's just what most people seem to be requesting.


	16. Hissy Fit; Big Bites

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unless you have an absolute bleeding heart for bears or find yourself sick at the idea of hunting, or helplessness, there's nothing in this chapter that's worrisome. Blood is very much present. Oh, and gross eating habits.
> 
> Beta'd by FlamingoBlubber

An anon & KnittingSamuria: follow up to Naga!Sans and messy eater with instinctive, defensive desire to be a good food provider.

 

            I think I argued with Sans for an hour, trying to convince him to just fuck off. But he was stubborn, apparently more stubborn than myself. He hissed smugly, long body unraveled around nearly the entirety of the entertainment room as he reclined on the couch. I was sulking in a chair, glaring at Sans’ tail, which just so _happened_ to loop over and around my seat.

            “Don’t you have a ‘territory’ to be in right now? And a brother?” Sans let out a low, amused hiss and blinked slowly. The motion odd as his eye lights simply flickered.

            “ _You’re my territory. Papyrus won’t care._ ” Sans explained with a shrug. I huffed, finally asking the much better question.

            “Why me? I thought you were going to eat me at first!” I snapped pointedly, resisting the urge to shove Sans’ lengthy tail away from me. Curiously, Sans’ face lit up in a soft red glow, small flecks of bright red popping up over his cheekbones.

            “ _Smelt nice. Not like food. Maybe. Warm and soft._ ” Sans explained reluctantly, “ _Can feel Soul. You’re… good? Want to be mine. Please? I’m good mate. I’ll protect. Provide._ ” Sans smoothly slithered onto my lap, replacing his heavy tail, his voice earnest. I frowned at his soft, pleading expression.

            “What? Feel my Soul? And I feel ‘good’?” I sighed, pushing Sans away from me a bit, “Sans, you can’t just… be a ‘mate’ to a complete stranger because you think they’re good! I’m not very experienced in this kind of thing, but even I know you need to get to actually know someone first!” I said, not entirely sure if he meant ‘mate’ in a platonic, romantic, or sexual sense. Sans blinked, expression frozen and blush slowly fading away. Then he nodded, grinning happily at me before nuzzling my cheek, his fangs smooth and not nicking my skin, thankfully. He pulled back, tongue flicking out and brushing my nose.

            “ _I’ll prove it. What will it take? I want to stay with you._ ” I blinked in shock at how… clear Sans sounded, not nearly as feral or clipped. Maybe it was a matter of practice than ingrained speech patterns? But Sans was expecting an answer, his expression hopeful.

            “W-Well Sans… I don’t know about ‘providing’, but the whole point of this camper is to be able to explore the world whenever I want. I can’t do that right now with you here unless I become your ‘handler’.” I shrugged helplessly, “I really don’t know what to tell you, Sans. I like living on my own.” Sans frowned and let out a hissing sigh. I ruffled my hair and yawned, glancing at the time. It was ten and I was pretty tired. Sans brought up a chilled hand and cupped my cheek, bringing my attention back to him.

            “ _Sleepy?_ ” He asked and I nodded.

            “Yeah, Sans. I’m pretty tired. Let me up and I’ll get ready for bed… I’m guessing I can’t convince you to go back to your home?” Sans shook his head, “Didn’t think so.” He did, however, move off of my lap and allow me to go about my business in the bathroom. When I finally slipped into bed, he followed, his tail winding and knotting under the blankets and around my legs. Aside from his tail, he maintained a surprising distance from me. He didn’t sleep clear across the mattress, of course not, but he wasn’t right in my face either. As unusual as it was, I managed to fall asleep rather easily. Sans’ lengthy tail not restricting me in my sleep and the sound of his breathing soft and soothing.

            When morning came, I wasn’t very surprised that Sans was wrapped almost entirely around me, our upper bodies supported on his coils. Sans sighed softly and sleepily nuzzled my shoulder when I tried to move. It was a bit odd to see empty eye sockets, but I could tell he was asleep by the… oddly relaxed way his facial structure was, as opposed to tense and focused like when I first saw him. Since I didn’t want to wake him up just yet, I decided to think on the situation a bit more. I still wasn’t sold on being his ‘handler’. I’ve enjoyed zero accountability for far too long to just pick up random strangers to look after.

            And it was rather odd that Sans was so willing to stick around me so quickly. From the way B.P. and Frosty put it, Sans and his brother—Papyrus?—were snooty. Definitely not people-types, yet Sans was all for dragging me back to his den and keeping me. It’s a bit… uncomfortable, that he’s so willing to disregard my thoughts on the matter, to say the least. But this could be explained by Sans being feral by nature. Nature was usually a bit of a bruiser’s world, take what you can, when you can. And he isn’t forcing me to go with him—he just refuses to leave, coincidentally keeping me from leaving since he can’t without a handler. And he seemed to at least understand that I didn’t want him around, just not willing to back off at a simple ‘no’ without trying to convince me otherwise. He was stubborn and a bit thick-skulled, that’s for sure. But maybe… he is also lonely? It would certainly explain why he was so ready to latch onto me.

            Fine. I’ll give him a shot. A week… maybe two to prove that he won’t be an absolute pain in the ass. If I decide to become his handler, I’ll have to travel with him after all. Usually people don’t like traveling with people they hate. Who knows, maybe I can convince Sans that sticking around _isn’t_ a good idea. Maybe a week living with me will convince him and we can go our separate ways. It was with that optimistic note that my stomach made a soft gurgle sound, Sans’ eye lights instantly snapping into place, slits wide and focused on my face. He pulled back and yawned widely, fangs separating and gaping open _quite_ impressively before softly snapping shut. Tongue flickering outwards, he seemed to consider me for a moment.

            “ _Hungry_?” He murmured thickly, voice still heavy from sleeping. I nodded and stretched, carefully trying to remove myself from his coils with… minor success.

            “Yeah, Sans. I think I’ll make some breakfast… ah, are _you_ hungry? And for that matter, can you eat bacon and eggs?” I asked, not sure about a _naga’s_ diet. Sans pouted a little and shrugged.

            “ _Yes_.” I nodded at his sour answer before softly tapping his coiled tail around my stomach. Reluctantly, he released me.

            “Sweet. I think I have enough for us to eat breakfast, but I’m running low on food. Might need to get groceries soon.” I said, mentally wondering how much a Naga eats in general. Sans was hardly _small_. But I faintly recall snakes eating only occasionally—ah, and eating live prey whole… not sure if I can afford to buy an entire pig every time Sans gets peckish. Sans seemed to rise up from the bed, eyes sparkling with what appeared to be flecks of red magic in what I _guessed_ to be excitement. I raised a brow at him but didn’t question it. Maybe he was _really hungry_?

            I slipped into the bathroom for a bit, taking care of hygiene, before ducking out and setting up the kitchen while Sans watched in curiosity. He stayed mostly out of the way, but he did stalk behind me, bracing on his tail to hover over my shoulder while I turned on the stove and started frying the bacon. He jerked when the bacon popped and sizzled, bits of hot oil splashing outwards. Rather than feeling nervous about his hovering, I kind of felt amused. He must not be familiar with frying bacon. After the bacon was sufficiently crispy, I set it aside and turned towards the eggs, cracking them open and pouring the contents into a clean pan with oil in it, and setting aside the shells. Sans swiped the shells and _ate them_ , surprising me into almost burning the eggs as he chomped down on the shells and swallowed. A faint shadowy lump traveling down his suddenly present and opaque throat. He paused, seemingly surprised that I noted his actions, and beamed.

            “ _It’s good!_ ” Sans reassured me and I wrinkled my nose, swatting his hand away from the old shells in the carton.

            “Dude! That’s so _gross_!” I cried, laughing a little as I set aside my eggs onto a plate, “What kind of eggs do you want? Scrambled? Sunny side up?” I asked but he only looked at me blankly. Right. He just ate egg shells, he probably doesn’t care about how his eggs look or are mixed together. Scrambled it is. After they were properly scrambled, I set them on a separate plate and gave him a hearty portion of the bacon. I handed him his plate and turned to set out drinks and silverware, only being stopped by the sound of _slurping_. Turning in horror, I found that Sans was straight up shoveling the eggs _and bacon strips_ into his mouth like he was a trash compactor. Tongue flickering between bites as he chewed only sparingly. He licked the plate clean and handed it back to me, jaws covered in egg and oil residue. He grinned happily.

            “ _Very good! I liked it!_ ” Sans declared and I had to turn around to dump the plate in the sink and shudder. A light click and hiss sounded over my shoulder, “ _Are you okay?_ ” I shook my head.

            “What the fuck, Sans?! You are a child!” I cried, pulling out a rag and wetting it before turning back to Sans, “Who taught you to eat like that? Wait—Naga. Snake. Right, I guess I should have seen it coming, but that was seriously ridiculous! And almost asking to choke!” I hissed, grabbing his wrists to wipe off his hands before looking at his face. He seemed surprised at first as I wiped his jaw, but quickly seemed… oddly pleased when I took the time to wipe around his ‘mouth’ and clean off his protruding fangs. I tossed the rag into the sink, shaking my head as I poured myself a glass of tea, and Sans one as well. Then I pointedly retrieved a fork, brandishing it in his face before taking my food and sitting down. With the fork, I ate my eggs like I was in a breakfast commercial, blatantly giving him a pointed stare as I ate. Not like a _heathen trash compactor_ , but like a normal human. No mess, plenty of chewing, and not gargling my bacon. Unlike _someone I could mention_. Sans seemed… decidedly amused by my antics, sipping tea like I wasn’t trying to get a point across.

            “ _You done yet_?” I threw my hands in the air at Sans’ bland question, dramatically putting my dishes in the sink and rinsing them before doing the same with my pans.

            “Yes, I guess I am. I…” I gave him a frustrated glare, “Next time, could you at least _try_ to use a fork?” Sans shrugged and slithered over to the door, opening it and instantly getting my attention. Sans glanced around and let out a soft hiss. I almost asked him what the fuck he was doing when there was suddenly an _answering hiss_ outside the door. Surprised, I walked around, carefully stepping over Sans’ tail several times as it wound around the room in loops.

            There, outside my trailer, was a _different_ Naga. Sans’ brother, Papyrus, if I wasn’t mistaken. He looked a bit like Sans, only his… skeleton bits were more lean and sharp. His head looked a bit more human in form, lacking a visible ‘snout’ but his fangs were all proudly on display. And his snake ‘skin’ seemed more of a ruddy orange and deep red color, the thickness of his tail not quite like Sans, but certainly a bit longer because of it. Somehow. A scarlet scarf wound around his shoulders and neck, which seemed odd since Sans wasn’t wearing any type of clothing. Narrow slits of sunset orange snapped to me and Papyrus seemed to grin.

            “ _Good hunting, brother_.” I watched, uncertain as to what the _fuck_ was going on, as Sans slithered out and Papyrus came in.

            “Good hunting? What?” I asked, feeling a bit lost, “Why has Sans tagged out with you… um, I’m assuming you’re Papyrus?” I questioned, and he nodded as he closed the door.

            “ _I am. Sans is shaping up. Being a good mate. Hunting._ ” I paused, recalling that I had mentioned I was running out of groceries. I was struck with horror as it occurred to me that Sans was _literally going to hunt for something to feed me, or perhaps the both of us_.

            “Whoa, whoa! That is _not_ necessary! Sans, wait a damn minute!” I cried, moving towards the door only to be physically picked up by Papyrus. Fangs pressed against my throat as he hissed.

            “ _I’m to guard Sans’ prospective mate, you, while he hunts. The first time is the most dangerous for new mates. He seeks to impress you. You will **not** wander off_.” Papyrus threatened, pricking my skin and a curiously cold chill swept down my spine. As I lost all ability to move, Papyrus glanced around and settled me on the couch, my back resting against his chest as he fumbled with the remote. He turned on the TV and flipped through the channels. Seeing as how I couldn’t really argue with him, I decided to eh… ‘milk’ the situation for what it was worth. Sweet, sweet information.

            “W-Why… are you so coherent but Sans is really… clipped in his speech?” I asked, struggling a bit as he settled on a documentary on birds.

            “ _Practice. We are not talkers by nature, but doers. Sans is also lazy. Dr. Alphys and Undyne helped me._ ” Papyrus explained, “ _Sans… ‘said’ that you do not want a mate? Good. He needs to work for something for once._ ”

            “I like living alone.” I answered, feeling weirdly vulnerable that I couldn’t even shrug, “Why do you need to guard me?” Papyrus glanced down at me and huffed.

            “ _Naga’s impress potential mates with gifts. Pretty things, nice dens, and food are all given to show how able a Naga is to provide. You already have a den. You are reluctant and unlikely to accept pretty jewelry as proof. That leaves food to prove himself_.” Papyrus ruffled my hair before continuing, “ _For the first gift, it needs to be big. Impressive. Especially if the potential mate is reluctant at the start_.”

            “Uh… he better not bring me a bear.” I hissed, causing Papyrus to laugh, “Do Nagas often… choose easily? I mean, he said my Soul felt ‘good’?” I asked.

            “ _As Monsters, we can feel Souls. When Souls resonate well with our own, it feels… nice. Right. As… instinctive as we are as Nagas, Sans will be reluctant to give up when his Soul insists that you are a good match. Maybe not perfect, no one is, but good nonetheless._ ” Papyrus paused to consider an exotic bird’s mating dance, “ _Since you are reluctant to his presence, he asked me to make sure that you didn’t leave without receiving his gift. Neither one of us will force you to stay, though Sans may not give up until it becomes clear that no gifts will sway you. Being mates requires full consent on both sides before you can bond. He is surprisingly stubborn for such a lazy worm_.” Papyrus hissed in amusement.

            “When you say ‘mate’—” I started but Papyrus knew where I was going and cut me off.

            “ _Romantic partners. The… human equivalent would be husband and wife. He seeks to prove he can provide for you and future offspring_.” I would have flinched if I could move.

            “Whoa, no one said anything about _that_! Is that what ‘handler’ is slang for?! B.P… Frosty… what the fuck, man?” I sputtered in embarrassment and Papyrus laughed.

            “ _Not at all. Some handlers are mates to their partners, but not all. Dr. Alphys and Undyne are mates and handlers, true, but it is neither required nor illegal to be so. Now quiet. You will regain movement in a few hours. Sans should be done hunting by then._ ” Papyrus hushed me, training his focus on the documentary instead. After several hours and a _thrilling_ two-part marathon over exotic birds and predatory insects, I was able to mostly move on my own. I did not, however, push it since Papyrus may very well see it as an escape attempt on my part and bite me again. After a thoroughly educational marathon, Papyrus perked up. The faint sounds of something being dragged outside starting to be clear to even my weak hearing.

            I cautiously stood up and went to the door, Papyrus slithering behind me. Upon opening it, I found Sans dragging a massive _fucking kodiak bear_ behind him. It was well over ten feet tall and must have weighed several hundred pounds. I have no fucking clue how he managed to drag it here… wait, does this mean that there are bears of that size just regularly living in this reserve?! He looked at me proudly, gesturing with his arms to show off his kill. I hissed and he faltered in confusion.

            “Sans! The hell am I supposed to do with a bear, let alone one this big?! I don’t know how to skin a kill—hell, I don’t even know if it’s legal for me to do that!” His grin fell and he slithered up to me reproachfully, chin almost scrapping the ground as he whined. Papyrus cackled as he left, leaving us to it as I tried to ignore how sad and pathetic Sans looked.

            “ _But I did good? Right? I’m good at hunting. At providing?_ ” Sans asked with almost comically wobbly eye lights, but his sad tone made me feel kind of bad. It _was_ impressive he took down a _fucking bear_. I sighed, taking in his bloodied face and the gory mess of the bear’s throat. I went inside, wet the rag and turned back around to sit on the steps to my camper.

            “Come here, you noodly ass.” I sighed, stopping him from putting his bloody face in my lap so I could clean it. After a long moment of wiping his face and fangs clean, I let him rest his cheekbone on my lap, “Yes, your kill is impressive. No, I am not _impressed_. Sans, I don’t _care_ how well you hunt.” Sans seemed taken aback by this, slits turning a dull red as he whined and nuzzled my lap.

            “ _B-But… Mine? No?_ ” I sighed, bopping him on the head. He blinked in confusion, finally looking back up at me.

            “Let me finish, you goof. What I mean to say, is that what matters to me is whether or not we get along well. If we… mesh well, so to speak. You only need a… ‘feeling’ of my Soul, but I don’t have that.” I tried to explain to him, “I’ll give you a week, two tops to hang around. I won’t try to shove you out or anything like that. You can try to impress me with… gifts, if you want, but know that I’ll only accept this whole ‘mate’ thing if I really _like_ you. Love you, actually. And if you figure out that you don’t want to be mates, then you tell me. I’ll be your handler only if we can be friends at the bare minimum. Obviously, I’ll be your handler too if, by some miracle, I agree to be your mate. Does that sound good to you?” I asked and Sans seemed over the moon. He shot up, nuzzling my face vigorously as he lifted me up and shimmied from side to side. He made an odd sound, a mix of purring, clicking, and a low hiss.

            “ _Yes! Yes! Yes! I’ll prove it to you! I can be a good mate! I swear!_ ” I sighed, patting his back and looking over his broad shoulders at the bear carcass.

            “Great… now I need to call Frosty about the bear. See if he can’t get it stripped and cut up. Don’t think I’ve ever cooked bear before but there’s plenty if I happen to burn some.” I mused, much to Sans’ amusement. He flicked his tongue at my ear, tickling me until I squawked and batted his face away, “Damnit, Sans! Don’t do that!” I cried but he just ducked his head and nuzzled my neck. He paused, flicking his tongue over the sore spot where Papyrus had bitten me, a low and unhappy hiss escaping him.

            “ _No bites… Only **I** can bite_.” Sans bitterly grumbled before licking the area, much to my displeasure.

            “Sans! That’s so gross, you’ve got bear blood all over your tongue, don’t rub it into the bite wound!” I protested as it tingled slightly, the area warming up as the pain went away, “I don’t care if you have magic! That’s so fucking gross!” Sans did not give a shit, predictably.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty sure I got down the messy eater part of the prompt. And I thought it would be funny if Sans was like a garbage disposal, able to digest anything but maybe straight up rocks. I had to stop writing for a few minutes to laugh when I wrote him eating. And yes, the next time he eats, he'll use a fork... to shovel it down his maw rather than use his hands. It's an improvement, but not by much XD
> 
> And as I write this, I realize that the execution isn't quite like the original request, and I hope that doesn't ruin the experience :/
> 
> Anyway, I hope that this chapter was great for you guys~ Here's a current list of requests, not sure how my speed will be affected by the return of my LAST DAMN SEMESTER OF COLLEGE, WHOOP WHOOP! But yeah, may slow down, may speed up, still not sure yet. Anyway, in no particular order;
> 
> Tumblr Anon: Troubled Waters prequel
> 
> Tumblr Anon: Hopeful Magic Body Swap AU scene
> 
> Myself (and Underecho): Mayor!Harry Potter in ACNL
> 
> Yizuki_Khonsu: Mafia!Sans and songbird!Anna
> 
> FlamingoBlubber: Demon!Anna and summoner/contractor!Sans (desperate)
> 
> Man, my future looks interesting to say the least!


	17. Birds of a Feather

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings unless you have a very powerful fear of birds or people pretending to be birds... or mafia related things like murder.
> 
> Beta'd by FlamingoBlubber

Yizuki_Khonsu: Mafia!Sans and songbird!Anna

 

            It was always just a _little_ grating to have to do grunt work in your own ‘family’. But the Calvone family had stepped on too many toes, Sans’ father and brother’s toes included, and they needed to be cut down to size. Hence the raid on the main warehouse that, as of that moment, the Calvone family head _and_ two heirs were having a meeting in with suppliers. Sans wouldn’t usually be present for pest control but all his competent goons that would usually supervise such an occasion were engaged elsewhere. He didn’t want anything slipping through the cracks and coming back to bite him in the ass later.

            Thankfully, the whole affair was blessedly short. He was tired, it had been a long day, and a short gun fight was all it took. His men were prepared and the Calvone were not. End of story. The suppliers were being spared, solely for business purposes, and were quick to leave. While his associates were cleaning up the place—no need to trouble the local cops with the mess—Sans poked around the cargo. Most of it was nothing special, cleaning supplies, fabrics, a few guns hidden here and there. The occasional kilo of drugs. There was an unusually small box with holes drilled in the top, lying at the feet of the now dead Calvone leader, plywood stained with blood. With a gloved hand, Sans pried open the box and was surprised to find a bound bird inside. Gauze wrapped around the torso and wings and the red beak was loosely taped shut. The bright red feathers stood out against the soft cotton padding inside.

            The bird was fancy, Sans could tell. Likely quite exotic and rare. Bright and bold coloring usually meant expensive. Bright red feathers covered the small bird except around the eyes, beak, wing feathers, tail feathers, and a necklace of dark blue that faded to a bright blue. The band around the eyes and beak was black, like a cute little mask, and the wing and tail feathers went from dark blue to a piercing deep blue at the tips. The general body shape reminded Sans of those delicate little canaries but was big enough that he just barely managed to hold it securely in one hand. It struggled, black talons scraping at thin air as muffled chirps of pain and fear made it through the tape. Golden eyes darting around and fixating on his own. Looking at the wings, Sans noticed that some dumbass was so harsh on the poor bird that they dislocated the right wing.

            “Boss?” A pale green monster, Sonny, Sans thought, addressed him, snapping him out of his thoughts, “Whatcha going to do with that?” Sans glanced at the bird and made a decision.

            “Patch the poor little thing up. Might keep it after that. Maybe sell it, depending on how much it’s worth. Who knows.” Sans replied negligently with a shrug. He’d never had a bird before, but he knew that bright birds like this usually sold fairly well, “I think I’ll leave you boys to it, make some calls for… Rogue here.” Sans carefully placed the bird, no Rogue, in the crook of his arm and walked out from the building, pulling out his phone and texting Dr. Alphys. She was his best bet for patching up the bird. By the time he made it to his car, Alphys had already replied that she was on the way to his house. The day must be pretty slow…

            Paulie, a brown bear monster with a penchant for tacky sweaters, pulled up to his house a half hour later and Alphys was already pacing in front of his door. With a sigh, he got out, thanked Paulie for the ride, and walked up to his door. Unlocking it with one hand, Sans glanced at Alphys and laughed.

            “Is yer job so boring that bird care is the highlight of yer day, Alphys?” Sans asked, causing the sassy monster to sneer. Alphys was an odd monster, able to build anything from spare parts, and not too shabby with medical emergencies. But she had a tendency to be rather… biting and obsessed with anime. Sans towered over her by at least a solid foot—not that Sans was small by any means, naturally built broad around the shoulders with a barrel ribcage and thick bones. Most were intimidated by him, actually, for a variety of reasons aside from general build. Yellow scales were polished and Alphys’ claws were just barely dulled enough to not gouge the sleeves of her white lab coat. Sans let Alphys in first, flicking the light on with a single, negligent clawed phalange. Sans took note of the glances Alphys was shooting Rogue, before holding out her claws, which Sans reluctantly obliged.

“I see some idiot packaged the bird poorly. I can set the wing straight, but the bird won’t be able to fly for at least a month, best to keep the wing tied down to make sure.” Alphys tutted and Sans nodded, “I don’t recognize the species though. Odd.”

            “I don’t have a cage right now… I imagine a box will do for the moment. What do they eat?” Sans asked, hoping that Alphys would know the answer. Alphys shrugged, carefully removing the tape from the beak.

“Not sure, but the best bet would be fruits and nuts. This type of beak, hooked but rather wide, is typical in parrots. If it was slimmer, I’d say a meat eater.” Was all Alphys offered, but it was something to go off of, so Sans wasn’t too upset about it. Sans was about to say something, what exactly, he wasn’t sure. But then Rogue opened their beak and the sweetest note sprung forth. Short but lingering and startlingly similar to a warm, happy hum, Sans was hard pressed to recall ever hearing a birdsong half as melodic. He’d lived in the city, sure, but he’d heard canaries before, and a few other pretty song birds. But they’d always been a bit too… bird-like, not quite structured in song like what Sans was used to hearing in bars and on the radio. He didn’t mind it, but he wouldn’t want a canary chirping in his ear day and night, no matter how fancy the tune. But this?

“Well then… that’s quite a lovely tune there.” Sans mused, sharing a look with Alphys, who looked just as surprised as he was. How interesting.

\--Better than being called Tweety Bird—

It had been four weeks and Sans was fairly certain he was keeping Rogue to himself. He had bought a nice, large bird cage, a bird stand, toys, and food. Rogue, as it turned out, was _quite_ the sweet little songbird. Usually, she chirped, whistled, hummed, and clicked out the tune to whatever happened to be on the radio. Head bobbing and tail swaying to the rhythm on his bad days, always cheering him up. He still kept the damaged wing wrapped down to let it heal, but had also taken to carrying Rogue around on his shoulder while he did paperwork. When he came home, reeking of gun powder, blood, and dust, she perched on his shoulder and crooned. Beak nipping and nuzzling along his jaw. He couldn’t imagine a better greeting after a hard day.

When it was time to unwrap Rogue’s wing, he placed her in the bird cage and gently cut away the gauze. Out of concern that she would try to fly away, Sans made sure not to let her out of the cage all day, eyes sharp and searching for any sign of pain. She was all healed though, and happily grooming and humming to herself when Sans left to finish up a… project. Storm clouds heavy and threatening to burst. He did not grab an umbrella, expecting his business to take no less than an hour.

Four hours later, he returned home, drenched, shaking from the cold, and snarling in fury. Everything that could go wrong, _did_. None of his men were spotted, but there was a car chase with the cops and he had to have Paulie dump his favorite ride to get rid of any… evidence. A rat got away and Sans could _feel_ a cold coming on. Magic already condensing in his ribcage, clotting up and forcing him to cough in an attempt to get rid of the faulty and infected magic. He felt better after a shower but found his head fogging up, so much so that he narrowly forgot to feed Rogue fresh fruit and nuts.

He noted the soft blush of magic coating the tips of his phalanges, the beginning of a fever tinging them red as well as his face. Rogue softly whistled a note of concern but Sans shook his head, turning to cough into his elbow rather than spray Rogue with whatever came up. He ran the tips of his claws through her feathers in a soothing motion, almost like he was grooming her back.

“Just a fever, doll. Nothing I can’t sleep off.” He was forced to close his eyes as a peal of thunder shook the windowpanes, his headache vibrating in sympathy. Deciding that he had had enough, Sans withdrew and crawled into bed feeling quite miserable. Blearily, he could faintly recall a soft lullaby being sung by a winged angel leaning over him. A cool rag pressed against his face, lighting catching on a sweet female face with soft golden eyes.

When he woke up the next morning, the worst of the storm and his cold was gone. Rogue’s cage was empty as well, door ajar and Sans realized he hadn’t closed it the night before in his feverish state of mind. He panicked until he heard a rustle of blankets in the bed next to him. Calmed, assuming that it was Rogue he was hearing, he grabbed the blanket to pull it down and froze. The shape was too big for such a small bird, though he initially assumed that the blankets were just bundled up oddly. Cautiously, he lifted up the blanket and pulled it down to reveal a woman. A woman with _giant wings_.

She was slightly tanned, face relaxed in sleep. Had he _expected_ to wake up with a woman in his bed—which hadn’t been something he’d done as of late—he would have found her trusting expression endearing. She seemed to be wearing black eyeshadow but nothing else. Not even clothes, from what Sans could see. Dark brown hair curled around her face and shoulders, threading into the bright red feathers of her wings. Long feathers seemed to be woven through her hair in colors of black, bright blue, dark blue, and sparingly red. The wings… actually, now that Sans looked at them, they looked _exactly_ like Rogues’ wings. Just a _lot_ bigger. Sans cleared his throat loudly and lightly touched the strange woman’s exposed shoulder. She jolted sleepily and blinked up at him, familiar golden eyes focusing on his face. She blushed, clearing her throat.

“Ah… you’re probably wondering what’s going on right now, aren’t you?” She asked, voice melodic and sweet.

“Yah. You could say that… Rogue?” Sans said, voice tinged with curiosity. She nodded, shifting on the bed to sit up and leave the majority of her wings trailing off the bed. She wasn’t actually naked, she had a black halter top that looped around her neck and lower back, as well as black shorts. Sans wasn’t sure if he was _disappointed_ or not.

“Yeah, I mean, my name is Anna, but I don’t mind the nickname.” Rogue, or rather, Anna, offered, “My kind can change forms, an animal and what you see now. Not _quite_ human, but rather close. I was flying as a bird, singing as I tend to do, when they caught me. Dislocated my wing. And then you… found me and helped me heal.” Sans reached out and grasped a strand of hair, thumbing the lock twirled around a vivid blue feather.

“You can’t transform if your wing is damaged, can you? Or when you’re in a cage?” Sans asked, receiving a shake of her head, “And you trust me with this information? You have to know what I am, who I am.” Sans locked eyes with her, expression intense as he sneered but she only smiled.

“Of course I do. But I trust you, Sans. I’ve seen how you act when no one’s around. You could have sold me off, but you didn’t. You don’t enjoy killing, it’s just business.” Sans stared at her for a long moment, unsure what he felt. There was a bit of awe at how confident she was in her trust. A fair amount of horror that she somehow deemed _him_ appropriate to hold her life in his hand. The amount of money people would pay for a _night_ with Rogue was ungodly, let alone keeping her to themselves.

“Sweetheart, that’s the _worst_ decision you could have made.” Sans chided her but she smiled and kissed his cheek with a laugh.

“You’re also stupidly possessive. If I had just left, you would have scoured the city for every bird that looked like me, convinced that the safest place for your ‘pet’ was by your side.” Anna shamelessly predicted and Sans was hard-pressed to argue, “You’ll keep my secret, Sans. If only to encourage me to stay with you.” Sans pulled back in surprise.

“And you’re okay with that? Seriously?” Sans demanded, well aware that nearly everyone else he’s encountered _loathed_ his possessive tendencies, family and would-be lovers included.

“Yep. This is round-about the way my kind settle down. We find someone who can take care of us, keep us safe, and keep our secrets and we stay with them. Our instincts lead us to where we need to be and you, your Soul, it calls to mine. I couldn’t ask for a better match.” Sans blustered at the sly expression she gave him, black nail tapping his exposed clavicle in amusement.

“And if I don’t want you?” Sans asked, bluffing. He was stubborn by nature and wouldn’t change his mind for anything short of a miracle. The fact that his little songbird doubled as a lovely lady was hardly a deal breaker for him. She laughed and he couldn’t help but snort, “Fair enough. But I better not hear any complaining about my ‘possessive’ nature from you, my confident little songbird.” Sans demanded with a pointed phalange. He rather liked how sly she was and was amused at how her kind apparently ‘hunted’.

“We don’t have to be romantic or sexual partners. And if you truly wish it, we can part ways at any time. My people never overstay their welcome.” Rogue offered sweetly and Sans let slip a low growl. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to his chest, inwardly amused at how short she was—just under five feet tall, in fact. He nuzzled her hair until her found the delicate tip of her ear and bit down gently on her ear lobe. Soft skin caught between his incisors. She gasped, wings and feathers twitching and fanning out behind her.

“Hope you’re not a migratory species, cause I don’t plan on letting you leave any time soon.” Sans whispered into her ear. She laughed, embracing him.

“Good.” She replied darkly and Sans briefly wondered if she was able to hunt and eat meat—and prey—after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, my days are a bit shorter than before, what with work and classes taking up about 10-6 or 7 AM to PM of my time, but I'll try not to fall behind too much with requests and updating my other stories. Currently trying to figure out how to illustrate Ishtar and something about Gilgamesh for a thing for my class over ancient Egypt, Babylonia, and Mesopotamia. It's a bit of a challenge, but since when has drawing from scratch ever been easy?
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, feel free to comment or request here or on my Tumblr!


	18. Do We Have A Deal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some... sexual content here near the end. Just some references to boners, Soul fondling, and definite oogling of the female form. And it starts out a bit depressing, so if any of that isn't your jam, ya might wanna skip this one.
> 
> FlamingoBlubber beta's this chapter~

FlamingoBlubber: Sans summoning Demon!Anna out of desperation

           

            Sans was not doing well. He hadn’t been doing well since the third reset. Judging by the confused looks of Frisk as they run through again and again, they didn’t know what the fuck was going on either. The underground wasn’t kind, Sans knew that and so did Frisk. Outside of carefully crafted safe zones or out of the reach of the royal guard, monsters became dust for even the mildest of offenses. That’s why it took so long for Frisk to make it the first time—Sans shook as he remembered how beautiful the sky was. How dry, fresh, and _vast_ the air seemed to be. Sans had given up on guarding Frisk carefully, they knew what do to. Sans himself was bordering on apathy and a complete mental breakdown. He _could not **do this again**_.

            He wouldn’t be able to take gaining freedom only to wake up a week later back underground. He just… He just _can’t_. He looked through all the science notes he could, relied heavily on a machine to track the changes that he couldn’t catch himself in the fabric of space and time. He was just coming to the conclusion that monsters were doomed to stay underground forever, even if it meant looping time like a demented string to do it. Then he saw it. A surprisingly slim book—almost a pamphlet, really. Stuck between the pages of a theoretical science book worn with time and water damage. The cover was faded, but he could see the intricate details of a large circle with many symbols and words written inside and outside it’s bounds.

            Within was a warning. A warning that reading the book brought _attention_ to himself. That, just by opening it up, he’s doomed to always have a hidden voyeur watching him go about life. Whispering temptation in his lowest moments. Sans figured he had nothing to lose at that point. Either the reset erased this too or it didn’t. Sans kept reading. By drawing a circle of summoning, giving an offering, and setting up a protective circle, Sans could summon a demon. A creature outside the bounds of space and time. Sans could make _a deal_. And only for his Soul.

            As a monster, Sans was well aware of his Soul. White like all monsters, his magic swirled inside in a deep red tone. Like a frosted bottle of smoke. It was cracked and breaking from the stress, the hopelessness. Sans was a dead monster walking if the resets kept coming. At some point, he’d be stuck in a loop of dying, Soul dragged back at the beginning of every reset only to shatter once more. Papyrus would be _devastated_ and Sans wasn’t sure Frisk would ever break the barrier again with just one less monster Soul—something he didn’t understand but knew from experience that the barrier only broke when every monster Frisk encountered was left alive.

            Chalk wasn’t hard to find, neither was the space. Spices and herbs was a bit tricky, but Sans was able to pull out an old sweater for something near to his heart. He spent several hours painstakingly setting it up, just sometime after a reset. Another few days and Frisk should be in Snowdin, so he had plenty of time. As he burned the mixture and lit the candles, he felt it. That vague presence that had been watching him grow stronger. Every line and letter of chalk he drew increased the pressure. He was sweating and gasping by the time he was finished. As steadily as he could, he spoke the incantation. The runes and chalk lines glowed softly, light pouring in from an unknown source. The folded sweater he’d had to stop wearing before it was torn apart faded away, smoke identical to the color of his magic billowing from the center of the circle where he had placed the sweater.

            He coughed, choking on the burning smoke as his eye sockets watered. When the smoke cleared despite being a sealed room, there was a woman standing before him. Sans was breathless, somehow terrified and completely calm at the same time. She looked human—sort of. Pale skin unblemished save for the occasional patch of deep blue scales and glittering like she had bathed in scented oils recently. She was poised on the tips of her toes as though gently suspended, her dainty feet a deep blue hue that faded into pale skin and undeniably patched with scales. Sans eyes moved up bare calves and thighs until he hit the edge of his old sweater. It covered her, if only barely, and Sans wasn’t sure if he was damned for thinking the demon was the sexiest creature he’d ever seen. She was just a little shorter than him and far less broad of shoulder, so the sweater fit her well, if somewhat baggy. He saw her hands, a dark blue with pointed nails of sea green, peak out from under the sleeves.

            When he saw her face, he knew he was damned. She had the face of an angel, soft and glowing. A kind smile and eyes filled with gold, no whites. Sinfully dark brown hair fell down her shoulders. Dark blue wings covered in fluffy feathers cupped her form. Sans wondered if he’d summoned an angel on accident. His Soul was gently pulled out and he raced to his feet, concerned that the demon would smash it to pieces. She merely cupped her hands under it and sighed.

            _“So worn and damaged from time. Such a shame…”_ She looked at him then, Sans knew, despite not having a pupil, _“You’re a cutie. I’d be honored to have this Soul. What is it you desire?”_ Her voice seemed to dance in the air, vibrating along his skull and trickling down his spine. It was… pleasant but unnerving. Sans swallowed hard, trying to find his words.

            “T-The resets… they won’t stop. I want my brother to see the surface. I want my people freed—shitty as some of them are.” Sans blushed under the intense stare and gathered himself, “I know my Soul will be yours, and I don’t care. Just… let me see my brother happy on the surface before you…” Sans stopped, realizing that he didn’t actually know what the demon taking his Soul implied. Would she eat it? Keep it in a jar? He honestly wasn’t sure. She hummed, tilting her head.

            _“I see… time is rather broken here, isn’t it? Oh, and you’ve had to remember it all. No wonder you’re so desperate. There are two things in the way, both unknowingly working together. But I can take care of that.”_ She looked at him again with a gentle smile, _“I will take care of the resets. I will let you keep your Soul long enough to see your brother happy, but make no mistake, it is still **mine**. If you are certain and have no further questions, we have a contract. Accept it and state my name, Comic Sans Serif. I am Annabel, dark angel of creation.”_ His whole body shuddered when she said his name, Soul quivering in anticipation. Sans faltered only for a moment.

            “I-I accept this contract, Annabel.” Sans spoke clearly despite his growing fear. The lights went out and Annabel chuckled. That was the last thing Sans knew.

            He woke up moaning, heat settled in his bones low and heavy. Gasping for air he looked up and saw Annabel, seemingly human at the moment, lathering his Soul with licks and kisses. She straddled him, still wearing his sweater, and seemed intent on knowing the surface of his Soul intimately. He couldn’t stop the blush if he wanted to. She sighed after a moment and glanced down at him, briefly appearing embarrassed.

            _“Ah! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. You’re Soul energy is simply… **delicious**. It’s so rare for a monster to seek a contract, let alone for a demon to realize that their prospective contract is their Soul mate._ ” Sans sputtered and she laughed at his flustered motions. He wanted to push her off his lap so they could talk but also didn’t want her to go anywhere. It had been _ages_ since he slept with anyone. He figured he was already damned, so what’s sleeping with a demon going to do at this point? Endless punishment at her hands? Glancing at her wicked smile, Sans barely restrained a ‘yes please’.

            “Soul mate?!” Sans yelped, uncertain if she was teasing him or not. Annabel nodded.

            _“Why yes, Soul mates. It happens, you know. Can’t you feel it?”_ She asked, as though he was supposed to be able to feel anything but a raging boner after her treatment of his Soul. But… there _was_ something there. He could feel the difference in power between them. By all rights, his Soul should be shaking in terror at being so exposed before her. But he didn’t. He felt… safe?

            “…I think so?” Sans murmured in confusion, sitting up and softly gripping her outer thighs for leverage as he peered at his Soul. The cracks were nearly all gone.

            _“Such a shame that we can’t bond yet. I need to hold my part of the deal first, or that wouldn’t be **fair**.”_ She cooed with a sly smile. Sans train of thought instantly went to a screaming halt. Bonding? With _her_? The sexiest thing he’d ever seen? His forever? _Why did he have to wait_? He was probably thinking with only his dick at the moment, but he found it difficult to bring up logic at the moment.

            “What? Why can’t we? I don’t recall asking for blue balls in the deal!” Sans whined, some part of him asking when his dick could power through the natural hesitance he should feel at having sex with a demon of all things. Let alone Soul bond with one! She laughed at him, pressing a kiss to his forehead and gently pressing his Soul back into his body.

            _“Before your Soul can be mine, monsters must be freed, the resets stopped, and you need to see your brother happy.”_ She answered sweetly, but Sans just _knew_ it was a lie. She was _enjoying_ his torment. She sighed, arching her back as she stretched, _“I need to fix the resets, don’t wait up on me, cutie pie.”_ She teased before disappearing completely, leaving Sans flustered and horny as hell.

            “She’s evil… absolutely evil. And she’s my Soul mate.” Sans mused blankly, mind reeling, “I’d ask what I did to deserve this, but it’s really no wonder. What goes around, comes around.” Sans groused to himself, eyeing the noticeable glowing tent in his pants. Maybe he could convince her that they can have some fun _without_ bonding first? It was worth a shot, he figured, somewhat hysterically. He wasn’t sure he could last long if _that_ was his wakeup call, every day. He really _hoped_ that he could convince Annabel that playing around would be fine. Knowing his luck, she’d want to do it _traditionally_ and wait. He’d probably combust within a month…

\--How Annabel fixed the reset issue—

            It really was no _wonder_ things kept resetting, Annabel mused. The sheer amount of magic within the barrier, that odd monster scattered across space and time, and the undying determination of a dead child. What a mess. The monster that had been scattered was trying to pull himself together, but he was trying to meet in the middle rather than slowly gather each piece. The dead child wanted to live and kept ‘hooking’ onto nearby pieces of the scattered monsters, and even the current living child, fueling them. The barrier kept them contained and when it shatters, causes a shockwave that disrupts the Determination and the monster’s Soul, sending the pieces reeling back to where they were before. By exercising the child and shoving the monster’s Soul bits back together, the shockwave wouldn’t take place. The resets would end. Sure, she could have left Gaster’s Soul alone, but considering he was her father-in-law, it seemed rude to leave him to the arduous process himself.

            When the barrier shatters, the current living child, Frisk, will find that they cannot control time anymore. Death will be permanent from then on, which a certain cute deathly figure will appreciate. Thankfully, after all that hard work, she gets to go back to the precious little Soul that belongs to her. Demons thrive off of Soul energy, depending on contracts to procure new Souls to siphon. But with a true Soul bond—with a compatible Soul, that is—Annabel no longer had to make contracts. Her last one is only a formality to make sure that Sans, the cute skeleton, wouldn’t be able to run from her. She’d heard of it happening in the past and had no desire to force him into a bond like that. But judging from how he responded to her… vigorous affection, she rather doubted it would be a problem. With a laugh, she dropped the Soul of Gaster into the heart of the labs in ‘Hotlands’, allowing him to pull himself together on his own. Chara, the cute child, was reluctant to go but could hardly overpower Annabel’s exorcism. It was such fun to be a ‘qualified’ dark angel, angel in heart but demon in every other manner~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter's request! To the Tumblr Anon, I've decided to not do the Hopeful Magic body swap, mostly because there aren't any scenes that I'm super enthused to cast swap (There are a lot more to chose from in Determined Magic and still make sense in relation to the rest of the story though). It has dragged my attention back to the fic, however, so if all goes well, I should update that sometime soon. I've been sick the past few days, yesterday was particularly bad. I was cotton-headed as hell, I'm amazed this chapter turned out alright since I had trouble focusing on one thing at a time. I even forgot to attach it to the email for FlamingoBlubber to go over. Now I've just got a sore throat and a clear head, so hopefully, all that will go away sometime soon.
> 
> I've also been building up files for a story. An original one, not a fanfic, so that one day I can publish it. Bout halfway done documenting the world building stuff and a quarter of the way done with character profiles. I've even finished the chapter outlines for the first book, though it may be adjusted as I continue working through all the ins and outs of the book's world, so that's been taking up some of my attention as well. I usually don't do this for any of my stories (fanfic), but since I've been sitting on it for close to two years, I thought it would be prudent to write it all down so that I don't forget shit.
> 
> So, yeah. Thanks for being patient with me, guys. Even those checking up on my other stories, you're all so wonderfully patient and it makes my day to see a new comment on a story, even if I haven't updated in A WHILE.
> 
> Anyway, here's the list of requests I've got going, in no particular order:
> 
> Myself: Harry Potter!Mayor of New Leaf town + shenanigans 
> 
> Tumblr Anon: Troubled Waters prequel
> 
> Again, I dropped the Hopeful Magic body swap AU since I wasn't terribly enthused for it in favor of bringing my attention back to the fic itself and hopefully updating it soon (Still not sure what to write for it though -_-)
> 
> If any of you guys have a request or anything else really, please feel free to tell me here or on my Tumblr!


	19. Better Not be A Bloody Coma!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unless you loathe Animal Crossing with your whole being or find a crossover of such material with Harry Potter nauseating then this chapter should be fine. Also, I'm not wholly impressed with the epilogue of Harry Potter so you can bet that this isn't canon compliant.
> 
> FlamingoBlubber beta'd this chapter thoughtfully despite not playing Animal Crossing! Must have been a weird read! And I know the dialogue doesn't match exactly but my childhood was literally this game and I had no desire to look up gameplay for a blow-by-blow word play.

Myself: Harry Potter!Mayor of New Leaf town + shenanigans

            Harry James Potter, Lord Potter, Lord Black—Boy-Who-Didn’t-Die, Man-Who-Conquered-Absolute-Bullshit—was tired. Twenty years old and no longer certain of anything but the fact that he was _done_ with the wizarding world. He played nice during Hogwarts, the inevitable war, followed vague clues left by a barmy old man, and even gave the Auror thing a shot. It was absolute hell in a way the war wasn’t. Everything he hated about being the Chosen One was cranked up to about a hundred. Everyone expected him to know everything, to do everything, and be flawless the entire time. During break, if he so much as burped, the nearby recruits looked like they had all their hopes and dreams shattered.

            And that was just the Auror program. The Daily Prophet was also up to their usual nonsense. Anytime he so much as paced down a hallway, he was guaranteed to see a small excerpt about it on the front page the next day. Usually with the dramatics flared far beyond what he was capable of during his… less than stable teenage years, no matter what Hermione suggested. He and Ginny gave their romance another try as well—and _bloody hell_ did the media have a fit about the whole thing—but found that they both had too many hang ups from their formative years to be happy together. Harry, from the Dursleys and his entire magical education, and Ginny, from the diary incident and her time in Hogwarts during the Death Eater occupation. They were good friends and maybe one day something more, but so soon after the war… they could barely handle caring for themselves, let alone each other.

            So, Harry’s grand solution to all his troubles? Traveling somewhere else. Hell, anywhere outside of Britain and Europe would be great. He needed to stick to the magical community—he was of age and he was going to take advantage of free range magic usage dammit!—but besides that the world was his oyster. He had plenty of money, from his parents, Sirius, and those ridiculous ‘thank you’ donations from various wizarding families. He just needed to get _away_ from it all, at least for a little while. He honestly didn’t care _where_ he went. He bought a ticket from a vendor—a magical one—and took his enchanted suitcase with him. He even had all his papers and a credit card from the goblins, provided for a steep fee after signing away his rights to the LeStrange vaults for breaking and entering before. Something told him it would be quite some time before he could use Gringotts for anything without a suspiciously large fee.

            Imagine his surprise when he woke up to a large bipedal cat walking down the aisles of the train in his direction? They appeared to be a large blue and white tabby cat in a sweater vest. They grinned at him with sharp fangs and gestured to the open seat across from him. He spotted what was unmistakably a monkey in a conductor’s outfit up front.

            “Hey there, mind if I take a seat?” Confused but curious, Harry nodded, “Thanks, it’s great to have company on long train rides. I’m Rover, I like riding the train and meeting new people. What’s your name?” Harry wasn’t sure what accent ‘Rover’ had, but it was oddly clipped and babbling. Sort of like Rover had said this exact greeting a lot but was just as excited as the first time he asked.

            “I’m Harry… Harry Potter.” Harry cringed a bit at the soft, lost tone his voice carried but was relieved when Rover didn’t react to his name in the slightest.

            “That’s a good name to have, Harry!” Rover exclaimed cheerfully and Harry smiled. It was nice to have an honest reaction to his name _without_ involving his fame.

            “Yeah, I think it’s pretty cool.” Rover nodded serenely, slowly blinking his bright red eyes.

            “What town are you headed to?” Rover asked curiously and Harry had to remind himself that the name was on the ticket in his jacket pocket. After a brief, flustered pat down of his chest, he pulled out the plain ticket.

            “Uhm, Wintersmith, apparently.” Rover lit up immediately at Harry’s lackluster proclamation.

            “Ah! I know that town, I think I have a map for it somewhere… ah, here we go, does this look about right?” Rover asked, providing Harry with a small map of a town with a beach, a river cutting through the town, and several small ‘official’ looking buildings. Harry had no idea if it was, but if the name of the town on the map and his ticket matched, then he wasn’t going to say otherwise.

            “Looks about right, yeah.” Briefly, Harry considered if he was having a mental breakdown, but decided against it. He didn’t want his ‘first’ mental breakdown after the war to involve talking animals and small towns. The train slowed to a stop with soft chugs as it approached a station.

            “Looks like we’re here. This is your stop, goodbye, Harry!” Rover cheerfully declared and Harry returned the gesture with a polite nod, gripping his suitcase and disembarking the train. Once he left the station, however, he found a party waiting. Up front and center was a dog. A yellow and white haired dog, bipedal like Rover, with a skirt, vest, and excess fur pulled up in a ponytail. There were also several other bipedal animals standing around. Confetti burst into the air.

            “You’re finally here! Our new mayor, exactly as you described!” the yellow dog cheered. What? Harry reconsidered the possibility that he was experiencing a mental breakdown.

\--Harry Potter Man-Who-Conquered-Tom-Nook’s-Debt-Scheme… Sort of—

            After a certain point, Harry decided to just roll with it. Isabelle, the rather cute and perky dog secretary, seemed conveniently deaf to anything Harry had to say contrary to ‘why yes, I am the new mayor’. She also seemed willing to do a majority of the work running the town, so long as he made the decisions and did a bit of leg work. A racoon in a green vest with a white button up shirt, and red tie but no trousers or shoes, sold him a house that would—somehow—be built within the next twenty-four hours and provided him with a tent to sleep in overnight (and he got to choose _exactly_ where it would be!). Honestly, if Dumbledore was half as accommodating for hunting down Voldemort’s horcruxes he would have probably been finished before the third week of school. Isabelle even gave him a lamp! How she permanently transfigured a leaf into a lamp without a wand, Harry wasn’t sure, but she did it so casually that Harry assumed it was normal here. Why couldn’t Hogwarts teach them _that_ instead of how to transfigure pin cushions to hedgehogs? And electronics seemed to work just fine here, hell, he didn’t even have to plug it in or light the lamp!

            The next day, Harry received a letter informing him that he was the fall guy for the position of mayor. Which, to be honest, had to be the weirdest and most benign thing he ever took the fall for. When Tom Nook revealed his new house, a somewhat small but humble abode in dark green, as well as his sudden debt in ‘bells’.

            “What’s the exchange rate for galleons? I’m pretty sure I have it in my bank but the goblins aren’t happy with me at the moment.” Harry explained blithely and Tom Nook blinked twice before responding.

            “It’s been a while since I’ve worked with the goblins. I believe the exchange rate is somewhere in the range of three hundred fifty-nine bells for one galleon. I only accept bells though, so you should be able to convert and withdraw it at the ATM in the post office. My business is across the tracks, and to the left side. There aren’t many buildings, so you can’t miss it.” Tom Nook explained before commenting, “I didn’t know our new mayor was a wizard, though. I guess that saves having to explain some of the things that go on around here. Just try not to mess with time too much. It gets weird in small towns like this when there are large jumps back and forth through time.” And with that, Tom Nook turned around and left like that _wasn’t_ the most bizarre thing Harry had heard in his life. How the bloody hell was he supposed to manipulate time?! When was that an option besides _third year_?!

            Armed with the appropriate address, Harry checked in with Isabelle. From her explanation, he mostly just seemed to need to be nice to people, maybe help them out if he’s interested, and make ‘bells’ by selling fish, bugs, fruits, shells, or random items. The pelican in the Post Office, _Pelly_ , was nice enough to explain how bells work. How they will always be in a bag after hitting a thousand and appear as one golden coin in any lesser number (without any work from him) and he can hold quite a lot on his own in his pockets. Somehow without actively using magic. Pelly had shrugged at his questioning stare and simply waved it off as excess ambient magic. Harry no longer wanted to question how things worked here.

            It was laughably easy to pull out enough ‘bells’ for Tom Nook and some extra on the side. While he was in town he bought an ax, shovel, and fishing rod (the net he’d need to catch bugs not present on the limited shelf space). Tom Nook offered to renovate his house, make it bigger change the color, or change the appearance based on what was on display in his curious store that day. A little odd—rather like the fancy otter who ran the Happy Home Academy—but it wasn’t his business to run. Harry agreed to have his home made bigger in _all_ respects and was surprised when Tom Nook agreed to let him pay whenever he wanted, in whatever amount Harry could until it was cleared. Tom Nook was also insistent that Harry didn’t start paying until it was done (something about quality assurance, Harry thought he heard muttered). Wherever the hell he was, it was incredibly strange.

\--Harry farms for bells because why not—

            Harry didn’t know what kind of magic was at work here, but he _knew_ he could swim before reaching Wintersmith. He didn’t _like_ swimming in the middle of February, but it was a balmy summer day, why _couldn’t he **bloody swim at the beach**_? And why were there so many fish here? So long as he didn’t run, he could consistently encounter at least five fish—their shadows plainly seen on the surface somehow—and he never expected to be able to reel in so many different types of fish. Hogwarts didn’t cover ecology, but he was _fairly certain_ that only a few of the different kinds of fish he had caught in one afternoon lived in the same region, let alone the same beach!

            When he suddenly couldn’t hold any more fish in his pockets he made his way to sell his surprisingly successful catch to the pastel pink alpaca, Reese, running Re-Tail with her perpetually snoozing pastel blue husband, Cyrus. An antelope named Beau stopped him and asked for his sea bass in exchange for a sofa… which, to be honest, Harry had no problem with. Why Beau couldn’t simply keep the sofa and catch a sea bass himself, Harry wasn’t sure, but Beau seemed _really happy_ with the fish so Harry deigned to not mention it. It felt… nice to make someone so blatantly happy with a simple fish.

            Maybe that was the point of all the quirks in this town? Simple happiness and gratification? He could live with that. Harry could easily help the townspeople with such simple tasks. Things like running small errands, helping stock the museum (how the bloody hell are there so many dinosaur bones buried willy-nilly in this place?!), and raising funds for projects (as soon as he has complete approval of the town, which is apparently not as difficult as he was afraid it was going to be). So long as there’s not suddenly a dark lord to defeat or some other impossibly dangerous task, Harry didn’t mind. Besides, Mayor Harry Potter had a nice ring to it… and his friends back home would _never believe_ him if he sent a post card. Ron would likely pass out in shock that he randomly went somewhere and _only_ became mayor. And didn’t have to slay a hoard of dragons or something in the process. To be honest, Harry could barely believe it himself.

            But he was going to curse someone if he suddenly woke up in the hospital after a long coma, mark his words. He is _not_ creative enough to make this bloody shit up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope that was at least entertaining to read! Just a bit of fun with the game to be honest. It's such a surreal game and I didn't even mention the trailer camp part that New Leaf has now. Or the genie ghost thing. That was really weird. Anyway, I've been oddly tired lately but I've been trying to get back into the swing of writing more often. Hmm, let's see what we've got next! In no particular order:
> 
> Tumblr Anon: Troubled Waters prequel
> 
> Anon: Prequel to Giant Baby Steps (Giant!Sans).
> 
> Myself so far: Not at all Suspicious Dinner! (Mermaid Anna, Mafia Sans follow up)
> 
> RedSnow100: Hissy Fit: Hiss Louder
> 
> RedSnow100: Borrower!Anna prank shenanigans
> 
>  
> 
> If any of you really like the idea of one of these or even a request for something extra in a pending request, feel free to share! And also additional requests! I've got em all written down and plan on getting to them eventually. And for anyone interested in my other stories, I've been typing away at the next chapter of Colorful as Hell! About halfway through, actually.
> 
> Anyway, i hope you guys like this chapter, feel free to make additional requests or comment here or on my Tumblr, Winter's Grasp under the same username as this site!


	20. Troubled Waters: Rising Tide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings here, it's all just cute stuff (though some possessive tendencies cropping up already), though it is a prequel to the smutty Troubled Waters request a few chapters ago (not that you really need to have read it).
> 
> Beta'd by FlamingoBlubber

Tumblr Anon: Troubled Waters prequel

 

            The coastal town of Cove Port Royal was honestly rather boring when you got down to it. Its main trade was fishing—because it was a fishing port. There was an abundance of trade in goods—because it was a trading port. If you weren’t working on the docks, you were at home or in one of the few businesses in the main square—because it was actually a rather small coastal town. Naturally, as a small child, I was _phenomenally bored_ most of the time. There’s only so many days in a row you can do chores without losing your small mind, and I’d long since gone insane. Well, that was the only real explanation for what seemed like literal magic dancing from my fingertips.

            The salty water swayed and bubbled up, as though the air was water and the water was small pockets of air rather than the other way around. My fingers waggling in exaggerated movements as I stared, transfixed on the sunbeams bouncing off of the water bubble. My concentration slipped and the bubble burst, as though it never existed in the first place. With a shoving motion, the waves lapping at my bare feet retreated in a small cresting wave, like fabric folding over itself. With a barely contained guffaw, the sound a bit raw coming from my throat, I smacked the water’s surface and pulled up. Water snaked upwards in elegant curves, as though I had somehow pulled up an eel. This was my first introduction to magic. A sunny afternoon on the beach, salt water bending to my will and goofy motions of my small hands. Later that evening, I discovered that pictures moved too, as did the small carving of a bird my father gave mom before I was born.hnn

            One summer afternoon, when I was six, I wandered along the beach for sea shells. There, half buried in wet sand and receding waves, was a skeleton just a little taller than me. Their clothes were tattered and clinging to the bones, plain and obviously well used. I would have probably screamed if it wasn’t for the fact that the skeleton _breathed_. Okay, so I _may_ have let out a muffled screech—I honestly thought they were dead! In one outstretched hand, gripped tightly in their phalanges, was a broken pearl necklace, the wire holding only four perfect pink pearls and one large golden pearl. After flailing for several minutes, stuck on the thought that it was a sea-cursed undead skeleton, I came to the realization that _this_ must be a _monster_! I’d heard of them, both the real people and the spooky creatures in old tales—possibly inspired by the real thing—, but I’d certainly never seen either kind before!

            I kneeled down in the sand to gently roll them over, surprised at how inhuman their features were. The cheekbones were much larger, soft and actually squishy, than a human skeleton would have. And despite not having lips, the ‘bone skin’ made a sort of opening around the teeth, kind of what a mouth would look like without lips. With every breath their mouth opened a bit wider, revealing a missing tooth, before shrinking back again. The eye sockets were also quite large and seemed to be shut. So… bone wasn’t actually bone, but weird skin? But most of the skeleton’s ‘bones’ everywhere else looked kind of like the pictures I’d seen. Two separate bones for the forearms, many small bones for the hands—admittedly fused to create a smooth surface—, and even the feet looked close to what they ‘should’ be. But they breathed deeply, despite the clear lack of lungs, so they might need other things too. Like fresh water and food. Oh, and a bed! Sand isn’t good for sleeping! I reached out and gently shook them.

            “Hey, skeleton kid, wake up! You can’t sleep here!” I implored softly, receiving only a groan. Clearly, they were sleeping pretty deeply. With a large sigh, I retrieved my blanket—just in case I wanted to nap on the beach— and rolled them onto it facing up. With some creative knotting, I made a sort of shoddy cloak for the skeleton kid, and pulled them up onto my back. Some of the adults in town were _weird_ about foreigners, so I thought it was best to hide my skeleton friend for the time being. Thankfully, they weren’t very heavy, though they weighed a fair bit more than expected for being made of just bones.

            I cheerfully walked down the docks and up the streets, nodding at the passing fisherman, traders, and busy ladies searching for nice jewelry from bigger ports than here. No one noticed the partially exposed leg bones of my friend, too busy with their own lives, and I made it home without a problem. Carefully, I walked up the stairs and gently placed the comatose skeleton in my bed. Their breathing rumbled in a snort, eye sockets lazily flickering open before they jolted up, red lights blazing from their sockets. Their head snapped towards me as they snarled, bearing sharp fangs at me, but it was hard to be intimidated when I had just carried them through town under a blanket.

            “Where am I, wench!” They hissed in a somewhat deep, male voice, though still clearly young. I frowned at him and huffed.

            “My house! I live in Cove Port Royal.” I bopped the area above his nasal cavity and clicked my tongue like mom always does when I try to get out of eating vegetables, “You washed up onto the beach and I brought you home. Are you thirsty? Hungry?” I asked curiously. He seemed a bit flustered, his scowl wavering as his cheekbones seemed to turn a soft shade of red. He looked down sheepishly, taking note of the string of pearls still in his clenched fist, before looking back at me.

            “Y-Yeah… here!” He thrust his prize at me with a renewed scowl, “To pay you back!” I snorted, gently picking up the hanging pearls and pushing them into his open palm. He seemed surprised as I smiled gently.

            “It’s yours! And besides, what would I do with pearls anyway? I’m six.” I muttered, frowning as I tried to remember if anyone here actually wore pearls. Maybe Mrs. Corals, the old widow? Some of the fancy ladies that come looking for nice jewelry? Certainly not kids my age, and mom said it was a jewelry for ‘older ladies’ than myself. I shrugged, putting it aside and turning to get the skeleton something to drink and eat. I was going with the assumption that my new friend _didn’t_ need to devour the Souls of the damned to survive, like Mrs. Corals had asserted several times before.

\--smol skeleton pirate—

            Sans was _never_ going to hear the end of it from his brother. _Never_. He was supposed to scour the ship and search for hidden caches of treasure, it was what he was good at. Then when the captain and his brother came, he’s scurry out while the morons fought against his crewmates and tell his brother where everything is. Then they’d destroy the ship, maybe kill a few of the hapless human crew if they didn’t stop fighting. But he got on the wrong ship at port and then _that_ ship got blown to pieces by different pirates. Not his crew mates. And then the sea swallowed him up with only a broken necklace in his grasp. But… he supposed it wasn’t all bad. The human that helped him out was kinda cute. For a human.

            She was small, dark brown hair loosely braided down her back, and she didn’t wear a dress. Pants and a loose shirt, but no dress in sight. He thought her eyes were gold, like the rarest of treasure, when she scolded him with a gentle bop above his nasal ridge. Hell, he was _still_ convinced she had rings of gold for eyes. It made his fingers itch, as though he could steal her gaze and keep it to himself. She even refused the pearls, though she’s only six, so maybe lack of greed was normal at that age for humans? Sans wouldn’t know, having liked all manner of gems and jewelry that sparkled from a young age, like any other proper pirate. Or monster, if his family was any indication.

            Sans felt so exhausted he almost went back to sleep before the human came back with food. A sandwich and a cup of tea wasn’t much, but Sans was hungry, not prissy. He devoured it all within a matter of moments, a blush covering his skull when she giggled. He tried to hide his embarrassment behind the tea cup, but it didn’t work out very well. Quietly, in the back of his mind, he acknowledged to himself that he wouldn’t mind seeing the cute human girl more often. Most of the crew were gruff, older monsters who picked on him when his brother wasn’t around because he was small and didn’t have a lot of HP. But this human… she was nice. And cute in a way the dog pirates couldn’t manage to be, the mangy mutts.

            “What’s your name?” Sans asked, a sense of foreboding filling him. She paused, small hands cradling the tray that used to hold his sandwich, and laughed in embarrassment. She looked at him with eyes like honey, cheeks just slightly red, and Sans felt his Soul drop like an anchor.

            “Ahaha… Sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh, I just _completely_ forgot about that!” She shrugged carelessly, “I’m Anna, Anna Collins. What’s your name?” Sans could vaguely recall an up-and-coming fishing company with the name Collins, but he couldn’t bring himself to give a damn at that moment.

            “Anna…” Sans allowed her name to sit on his tongue, tasting the syllables carefully. It was short but sweet and he rather liked saying it. Up until this point, he’d dreamed of being a pirate captain himself, of being feared like Captain Asgore. He had no intention of changing that goal, but now he wanted something _more_. Life at sea could be rough, and Anna didn’t seem very hardy, but if Sans could be like Captain Asgore, then he’d be able to protect Anna. Keep those golden eyes on him and by his side. She was probably safer with him—his future badass self—anyway, helping strange monsters on the beach without protection! Honestly! And she’d probably still be really cute all grown up. Sans had trouble believing that Anna would ever be a plain woman, not that the unlikely possibility swayed him.

            “What’s your name, skeleton boy?” Anna asked him with a smile, tone teasing and making him realize he’d been staring for _quite_ a long time. There was a glint in her eyes, like she knew he’d been thinking of her cute face and was ready to tease him for it. Maybe she was hardier than he thought… Sans briefly imagined the two of them together, a few years older. He wasn’t sure of the validity of this passing thought—given that their bodies looked a bit like the cover of those ‘adult romance’ books he’d seen Dogaressa hide away—but it spurred him on anyway. She proudly wore fancy jewelry that he just _knew_ was from him in his imagined reality. He liked the thought.

            “I’m Sans the Skeleton! And when I grow up I-I’ll give you a-all the treasure in the sea!” Sans declared boldly despite stumbling over his words, “Y-You’ll never want for anything with me, I swear it!” Sans felt his cheekbones grow hot with magic. It was a really bold promise to make. Anna snorted and kissed his cheek sweetly.

            “I don’t think the tea was that good, Sans.” Sans heard Anna tease him distantly. He screeched internally, a soft wheeze leaving him by accident. He pulled Anna close, tucking his face into her shoulder and scenting the sea and warm sunshine on her skin. He needed to work hard to fulfill his promise. And not get flustered so easily, it seems to be her greatest strength.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there we go! I hope that met your standards and was a good read. With any luck, I'll be picking back up with requests a little more frequently (I'm going to be graduating with a BA in English next month and moving)! Speaking of requests, here's the line up in no particular order.
> 
> Anon: Prequel to Giant Baby Steps (Giant!Sans)
> 
> Not at all Suspicious Dinner! (Mermaid Anna, Mafia Sans follow up)
> 
> RedSnow100 and Lady_Arkytior_of_Dunans: Hissy Fit: Hiss Louder
> 
> RedSnow100: Borrower!Anna prank shenanigans
> 
> Lizzie: Vampire reveal fluffy acceptance (Vampire!Sans)
> 
> FlamingoBlubber: Blind reader/OC Dancetale
> 
> If you want to ask, request or comment something, feel free to leave a comment here or on my Tumblr (of the same username but the blog is called Winter's Grasp). I love challenging myself but sometimes my ass gets dragged by life (hence the somewhat respectable buildup of material to work with).


	21. Something Fishy for Dinner (Mermaid Anna, Mafia Sans follow up)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's ah... noncon touching at the end there, if that's something that makes you feel uncomfortable, feel free to skip the break where Sans POV starts up. Obviously, this one is a bit dark as a follow up to a Yandere!Mafia!Sans story from a few chapters ago, so if that one made you uncomfortable, perhaps this one isn't for you either.
> 
> Beta'd by Flamingo_Blubber

Something Fishy for Dinner (Mermaid Anna, Mafia Sans follow up)

 

            Sans was quite pleased when he visited Anna’s pool only three days later to find she was happily swimming in circles, scales a pretty red with orange splashes. He had already changed into swimming shorts. He _felt_ the tension leave him as he slipped into the pool, resting his upper body on an inflated inner-tube. Anna took note of Sans and emerged from the water in front of him. He smiled softly and reached out to caress her hair. Somehow, it had already started growing out again, messily brushing her shoulders rather than barely reaching her chin.

            “Hey, little fishy. How’re ya feeling?” Sans asked, pleased to note that even her eyes were bright now. Anna hummed happily.

            “I’m feeling pretty great, Sans! I can’t wait to tell my family how everything is, even if you’re the only good thing I’ve found so far.” Anna trilled happily. Sans refrained from growling at the reminder that Anna wanted to leave, carefully keeping his expression cheerful. He had all the supplies he needed, anyway… but he could always ask.

            “I really enjoy your company, Anna. Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Sans asked, just a little hopeful despite himself. Anna smiled softly at him.

            “I have to go back, Sans. But I’ll find a way to come and visit you! Maybe not through the river, though…” Anna laughed softly and Sans chuckled as well. He knew she wasn’t _really_ going to leave anyway.

            “Anna… do you think you could join me for a nice dinner tonight? On the roof? I’ve managed to snag a dress you could wear. You don’t even have to walk or turn into a human, I wouldn’t mind carrying you.” Sans asked, enjoying the surprised look on Anna’s face.

            “What? Really? I-I’d love to, Sans!” Anna agreed eagerly. Distantly, not wanting to get ahead of himself, Sans wondered if it was possible that Anna would agree to stay without too much convincing.

            “Great, I think I’ll float around a bit longer before getting things ready.” Sans replied easily, relaxing and closing his eyes. When was the last time he relaxed like this? It felt so _cleansing_. Sans was glad he was keeping her. He’d probably snap horrifically within a year without her.

\--Trapped in a Fish Bowl—

            It had been a very long time since Anna felt this good. The seas had been tainted since she was young. But the pool Sans had thoughtfully provided her was perfect. Salty and warm, Anna couldn’t help but wonder how much effort Sans had to put into adjusting the pool. Once she had recovered from the polluted river and could stay awake for longer than five minutes, Anna actually let out an embarrassed squeal at the bottom of the pool. She’d only ever interacted with her family until very recently and it didn’t escape her that Sans had done her a great kindness. And he seemed quite eager for her to stay! It was tempting. Sans seemed to draw Anna in with his unending kindness. If it wasn’t for her family, Anna really would have stayed behind with him. But she could certainly return his kindness as best as she could at dinner. He gave her an hour to herself to get ready, dress draped on a pool chair nearby. It was kind of crazy how far Sans had willingly gone for her.

            Taking a deep breath, Anna swam to the shallow end of the pool and sat down on the steps to the best of her ability. She’d changed before, but it was always a little enchanting to watch her fins dissolve into bubbles of light. The bubbles swallowed her entire tail, tickling and warm as they traveled up her hips and her upper body. In their wake, red scales turned into smooth, pale skin. Human legs were sensitive, Anna’s mother had explained when she was young, if she doesn’t use them often, it would hurt. The nerves too new and exposed compared to a tail. Everywhere scales once were, was now incredibly sensitive. The majority of the sensitivity would die down in an hour, but walking would sting a bit.

            Now quite naked, Anna stumbled to the showers, determined to clean up before wearing the pretty dress Sans had provided. It was a little difficult to stand up, the muscles in her legs a little weak, but it didn’t take long, thankfully. Anna rested briefly and carefully combed her hair with her fingers. There was a towel left behind that she used before slipping in the dress, a little surprised that it fit so well. The dress was a dark red color with a scoop neckline that bared her shoulders with short sleeves. The skirt flared out from the waist and ended at her knees. It was rather cute, truth be told. It had been several years since she’d worn anything resembling clothes, which usually didn’t last long under the water.

            A few minutes later, Sans walked in wearing a nice black suit with a red tie. He paused when he saw her, cheekbones saturated with red magic in what appeared to be a blush. He walked over and offered Anna his hand.

            “Care to join me, my lady?” Sans asked gruffly and Anna blushed.

            “Of course, Sans.” Anna replied, taking his hand and rising unsteadily to her feet. Embarrassed, Anna explained, “Swimming and walking are a bit different, so I’m a little out of practice.” Sans looked a bit curious but didn’t press, choosing instead to carefully guide Anna to the elevator, one arm around her waist and the other holding her hand.

            “No need to be embarrassed, little fish. You said before that it hurts to walk…” Sans gave Anna a sincere smile, “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I’d gladly carry you if need be.” Anna couldn’t help blushing at the bold statement.

            “Sans! That’s really not necessary.” Anna commented in embarrassment as the elevator doors opened up to reveal the rooftop garden. It was a bit overgrown, but in the center was a cleared gazebo with a picnic set out. The fading afternoon sun looked beautiful over the city skyline. Sans helped Anna sit down on a pillow and handed her a plate. Sans pulled out a china dish filled with what Anna assumed to be roast. She could remember a magazine floating out in the water with something similar on the cover.

            “Pickings are a bit slim these days, but I managed to get a hold of some roast and vegetables. Even made little cakes for dessert.” Sans proudly served a generous serving of the roast before pouring Anna a glass of what appeared to be a clear juice of some kind that bubbled. Anna waited until he served himself before trying the meat. It was a far cry from the canned tuna she’d been eating recently, and a definite improvement from the fish she’d caught in the ocean. Savory and warm, Anna felt a bit of regret that she couldn’t enjoy more food like this.

            “It’s delicious, Sans!” Anna said, taking a sip from the glass. It burned a little, but in a pleasant way, and tasted oddly sweet, “What is this?” Sans paused from his meal to glance at the glass Anna held up in question.

            “Oh, it’s wine. I thought it would be a nice treat for the both of us.” Sans responded with a sharp grin. Anxiety crawled through Anna’s heart at the oddly… _predatory_ look in Sans’ eyes. But as quick as it had come, the moment was gone, the grin melting into a friendly, beaming smile. Anna didn’t speak up until she’d finished the vegetables as well.

            “Sans…” Anna murmured quietly, noting the small tea lights on the gazebo lighting up now that dusk had fallen.

            “Yes, Anna?” Sans responded, taking away the dirty plate to hand her a small plate with an equally small cake. Red with soft red icing smeared on top. It was small enough that Anna didn’t need a fork, though Anna noted that Sans waited until she took a bite before swallowing his cake whole, orange icing catching on his ‘lips’. Anna laughed, feeling a little light headed, the sweet cake lingering on her tongue. The warmth in her stomach helped ease the ache in her legs.

            “You’ve got a little bit of icing here.” Anna tapped her bottom lip helpfully, “But uhm… I wanted to thank you for helping me. I doubt a heated saltwater pool was just laying around. And the food, this dress… I really appreciate your help, Sans. I hope I’m not being… too forward when I say that I’d like to come back and visit you again. Maybe not through the river, though.” Anna joked, earning a soft laugh from Sans. Sans grabbed her hand and squeezed gently. He slowly laid down, pulling Anna with him to rest on his shoulder.

            “You can stay as long as you want, Anna.” Sans whispered in her ear as the sky seemed to spin through the sun roof of the gazebo. Despite laying down, Anna felt oddly dizzy and warm. Distantly, Anna spoke but couldn’t feel her lips move, the sound of her voice soft and fading.

            “Maybe… no wine next time, either.” Anna wasn’t sure if she was overheating or desperately cold, her body losing sensation all the way to her toes. Starlight and tea lights smearing before fading to black.

            “I’ll keep you safe, my pretty little fish.”

\--Sans, obviously—

            Sans laid there for a while, enjoying the soft sighs of his precious little mermaid. So naïve. She didn’t even find it odd he gave her _wine_. When she’d been asleep for several minutes, he gently pulled away from her, setting the food and dishes to the side. At the bottom of the basket was his equipment. A scalpel, an applicator for the tracking device, healing gel, and the special choker he commissioned for her. The black leather was treated specially to be supple and resistant to damage, a silver skull and crossbones broach with red gems for the eyes. The ends were crafted to be fused together with magic, creating a seamless band around her throat.

            He hated it, but knew it was necessary to roll her over and carefully cut into the back of her neck. He had practiced on a few ‘volunteers’ until he got it right the past few days. Once the cut was deep enough—but not damaging anything—Sans pressed the tip of the applicator into the wound. Red liquid magic—his own magic donated for the cause—mixed with blood as the small tracking device was implanted, powered by magic and life force to ensure it didn’t break down. After he wiped the excess off of her pale skin, he dabbed a generous amount of luminescent green gel on the cut, eyes sharply noting when the skin stitched back together. Only a faint silver-red line was left behind. He cleaned it up and pulled the choker around her neck. The excess material sank into the band, strengthening it further, until it was loose enough to breath. Red magic blazed over the leather, registering his magic and ensuring Anna couldn’t remove it without his say-so. If she ever managed to get away and remove it, she’d never notice the cut on her neck. He’d always be able to find her.

            Gently, he lifted her onto his lap and enjoyed the feeling of security that washed over him. He now had a little slice of paradise, all his own. Emboldened with the new sense of peace, he stroked the smooth skin of her legs. He knew she wasn’t wearing anything under the dress—he was surprised she actually changed her tail for the occasion—but decided before tonight to let her come to him. Regardless of how tempting it would be to see how far he could go before she woke up. Though he was curious if her smooth legs was because she usually had scales, and if that condition applied elsewhere. His phalanges drifted above her knees and along her thighs.

            She’d embrace him whole-heartedly eventually… but she’d be out for several hours yet. Surely he could enjoy Anna’s present form a little more? Give her more reasons to enjoy his presence. To never want to leave? He doubted she knew much about being human, so it was only right that he showed her. He buried his face in her warm neck, trying to imagine how receptive she’d be if he presented some ‘play time’ as a good-bye present. Keep up the illusion a little while longer that he’d ever let her leave. His hand froze in indecision close enough to feel the soft heat, his mind racing.

            He bet she’d be glad to grace his bed if he opened with praises. Implied a debt and how badly he wanted her. He doubted she got out much with her family, precious and trusting as she was. Maybe after blowing her mind and distracting her with sex she’d put aside her desire to leave him. If she was good, he’d even offer to get a boat and send some men to look for her family. So long as she never left his side, he’d be glad to offer her the world. She was his little piece of serenity and he’d be damned if he ever let her leave.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I cut it off here so it wasn't... super dark and gross for people curious as to where the next part of the story went but not interested in reading dubcon/noncon. But if anyone is interested in seeing the next part, you can request it. Rather like a follow up of the Coraline story, but again, it would be rather dark. As you might imagine.
> 
> Here's a list of pending requests in no particular order:
> 
> Anon: Prequel to Giant Baby Steps (Giant!Sans)
> 
> RedSnow100 and Lady_Arkytior_of_Dunans: Hissy Fit: Hiss Louder
> 
> RedSnow100: Borrower!Anna prank shenanigans
> 
> Lizzie: Vampire reveal fluffy acceptance (Vampire!Sans)
> 
> FlamingoBlubber: Blind reader-or-OC Dancetale
> 
> Anyway, feel free to comment or request whatever here or on my Tumblr cx


	22. Hissy Fit: Hiss Louder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, no real warnings here. Gets a bit inappropriate at the end and some things are hinted at, but nothing bad. Oh, and Sans gets pissed, so if you don't like snakes or angry snakes, this isn't the chapter for you.
> 
> Thoughtfully beta'd by Flamingoblubber

RedSnow100, Lady_Arkytior_of_Dunans, and Too_shy_to_fly: Hissy Fit: Hiss Louder

 

It was almost unbearably cozy being nestled in Sans’ coils as I worked on another commission. He had his arms wrapped around my stomach and lazily napped with his face nuzzled in my neck. He had questions at first about what I was doing but seemed suitably impressed that I was supporting myself with commissions. Mostly, he seemed happy that my ‘job’ didn’t involve leaving the trailer. Frosty had picked up the bear and promised to have it processed for me. Most of the meat that I wouldn’t be able to fit in my freezer anyway would go to the park, the hide I’d get to keep in the form of a new fancy blanket or rug, and whatever useful bits would also go to the park except some claws and fangs. I sort of wanted to make a necklace out of them but hadn’t dedicated to the idea yet. Sans seemed pleased that I would get to keep so much of his ‘gift’.

After some careful last edits, I finished another commission and set down my tablet. Glancing over my shoulder, I considered Sans for a moment. He honestly wasn’t bad company to have. He was mostly quite content with just existing near me and since he backed off of the whole ‘mate’ thing he wasn’t nearly as infuriating. He was a curious snake and surprisingly helpful while cleaning up. And I _never_ had to worry about leftovers with him around. It was rather surprising that a week had already passed. But could I tolerate living with him on a more permanent basis?

He released a soft sigh and nuzzled into my shoulder a little more. Maybe I should try to learn a bit more about him before I make any hard decisions. For all that we’ve been hanging out for the past week, I know very little about Sans as a person… snake monster. Whatever. The point is that I don’t really know him very well. Where did he even live before now? A cave? A cabin? Where? Getting an idea, I shimmied my shoulders and jostled Sans a bit. He huffed but didn’t otherwise move.

“Hey, Sans!” I stage whispered over my shoulder, “Wanna go for a walk? I want to stretch my legs a bit.” Sans jolted a bit and looked panicked and offended all at once.

“Outside your den?! It’s not safe!” My first instinct was to argue with him, but to be fair, there were apparently giant kodiak bears running about. I thought for a moment on how to convince him.

“Well… that’s why you’re going with me, right? For safety reasons? And I…” Suddenly, I felt embarrassed that my ulterior motive wasn’t exercise, but to find out more about Sans, “I… kind of wanted to know what your home is like. Or your den. Uhm… maybe your favorite spot?” Sans seemed flabbergasted, red dusting his entire face.

“A-Anna…” My ears were burning and I hastily backtracked.

“Y-You’re right, it’s stupid. Totally not a good idea. Bears, nagas, and who knows what else sneaking about. Go back to sleep.” I stammered softly, resolutely looking ahead of me to avoid eye contact.

\--A rare look into a naga’s mind—

            The past week had been _absolute bliss_. Sans didn’t expect to encounter a human on his ‘patrol’, let alone a sweetie that made his Soul feel at peace like Anna did. Though he may have originally intended to scare the hell out of her to make sure she never ventured so far into unknown territory. Paralyzing a human and then spending a few minutes restraining them usually did the trick. He changed his mind quickly though, he had manners! You don’t paralyze and scare a potential mate without good reason! He may be lazy as hell, but he didn’t hesitate to start courting her. He didn’t anticipate that her possible rejection would bring literal tears to his eyes either. But she gave him a chance! Sure, he’d be sad if she didn’t want to be his mate, but as long as he could be with her he’d be content.

            It was so soothing to curl his tail around her and nap, her natural body heat a balm against his scales. It’s probably his favorite activity if he was being honest. So, he was a little grumpy and alarmed when she suggested going outside for a walk. Her den, or rather, her trailer, was safe and secure from the local wildlife. Almost as secure as his old den, which had the advantage of a deeply engrained scent from two dangerous nagas. But… she wanted to see his den? Get to know where he liked to spend his time before his favorite place was being wrapped around her?

            He laughed softly, scenting her ears and hair with a flick of his tongue in amusement. He could sense how hot her ears were and the scent of embarrassment was clear to him. Did she think he’d deny her such a thing? How cute! As if he’d deny Anna the chance to get to know him better! If he was being honest, the idea that she was genuinely interested in him warmed his Soul.

            “ _Papyrus won’t care if we visit!_ ” Sans offered in explanation before eagerly sitting up, “ _We go outside! You can see my old den, my favorite spot!_ ” Anna seemed amused as he pushed her to her room to change into more appropriate clothing.

            “You sure changed your mind fast.” Sans straightened his spine out and beamed a toothy grin.

            “ ** _I_** _can protect you from anything out there! You’ll see. I’m the best mate you could ever have!_ ” Sans mentally cursed his lack of skill with words. If he was Grillby, he could have charmed her within a matter of minutes. Had her swoon into his arms and just as eager about being mates as he was. Most of his skills were useless in impressing her. She could care less how quickly he could kill a bear. She already had a good den of her own. Provided for herself. Seemingly quite introverted and not looking for a mate. And he’d be skinned alive by his brother if he suggested sexual coercion, regardless of how skilled he was in that area. So _that_ would have to wait until after she agreed to be his mate. The skeleton brothers were _doers_ after all, not necessarily _talkers_.

            Oddly enough for a lazy naga like himself, it was nice to get out and really stretch his scales like this. Anna’s den was sufficient for two people, but not quite right for someone his size. And it didn’t hurt that she gladly held his hand as he led the way without a single complaint. He navigated the familiar terrain and lead her past the spot where they first met. It was actually quite close to his den, which was why he reacted to strongly when they first met. Wouldn’t do for humans to get _ideas_. But his Anna was good. If he still lived in his old den, he wouldn’t care if she came by in the middle of the night or the ass-crack of dawn… well, he’d have to drag her into a cuddle pile to make up for the offensive wake up call, but still.

            He was almost back at his den when he picked up a familiar scent. Like a bonfire filled with cinnamon sticks and sugar. _Grillby_. Don’t get him wrong, he liked Grillby a lot. The wild elemental monster was a hell of a cook and made the _best_ whiskey, but he was also a smooth talker when he was motivated enough for it. Grillby’s lovers came in all shapes and sizes, though they rarely stayed for long. Men, women, monsters, or humans. Grillby didn’t give a _single fuck_. So, naturally, Sans tensed up. He knew that Grillby would flirt with Anna, if only just to mess with him. And that just rang _all_ of Sans’ warning bells. Instincts flared up, demanding that he take out his competition and take Anna back to his den. Preferably until she was wowed by his amazing qualifications as a mate.

            “Sans?” Anna asked softly, grounding him in reality for the moment. He turned to look at her concerned honey eyes. He gave a tense smile and absentmindedly flicked his tongue.

            “I—”

            “Sans! There you are, I was _wondering_ if it was true what they were saying!” A smooth voice proclaimed breathily. Sans turned his head and scowled at Grillby. Judging by the gasp from Anna, he was an impressive sight. And on any other occasion, Sans would agree. Watching Grillby was somewhat mesmerizing, the dark purple flames curling and shifting with magic and light. Bright white specks baring down on anyone Grillby looked at. Black slacks with suspenders and a white button up shirt were all that contained and covered up Grillby.

            “Sans?” Anna asked quietly in confusion as she looked down at Grillby’s bare feet which didn’t burn the ground at all.

            “But where are my manners! I am Grillby, young lady. I presume you are Anna, the human Sans is currently courting?” Grillby’s maw gaped open in a grin, “He’s not usually one much for conversation, but I’d be happy to oblige a lovely lady such as yourself! Maybe a quiet chat through the woods? Really get to know one another?” Sans had enough. He reared up, tail lashing out to curl around Anna and drag her behind him. He snarled and spat, a vicious hiss ripping through his open jaws as venomous spittle flew out.

            “ _Grillby! Fuck off!_ ” Grillby cackled but threw his hands up in a placating gesture.

            “Easy, Sans! I’m no threat to your courting, I swear on my magic! I just thought Anna should get a demonstration of how capable you are, that’s all.” Grillby excused but Sans didn’t buy it for a second. All Sans could see was red, his magic welling up around him aggressively as he squeezed Anna closer to him. A soft, broken squeak was muffled into his coils and it was like all the air left him as he relaxed and turned back towards Anna. Her face was red and she was just slightly breathless but the most concerning part was that she looked a bit frightened. Sans instantly lowered back down and whined, wrapping his arms around her stomach in a gentle hug. He nuzzled her shoulder and neck.

            “ _I’m sorry. I hurt you…_ ” Sans apologized with tears in his eyes, his entire Soul feeling like ripping it in half would have been less painful. He meant to make Grillby go away, not to hurt Anna! Never! But Anna smiled softly as she caught her breath. With a laugh she returned his embrace.

            “It’s alright, Sans. You just… took my breath away. Haha, it was nice meeting you, Grillby, but maybe you shouldn’t try to be so helpful next time?” Anna chuckled as she pet the back of his skull. Did she just…? Sans immediately curled around Anna again, this time gently, until they were both nestled in his coils. He was so deliriously happy, he didn’t mind the embarrassing noises he was making as he showered Anna with affection.

            “…Well, this is sickeningly cute. Nice to meet you too, Anna.” Grillby said but Sans ignored him and the instinctive desire to go right back to posturing, “I think I’ll just go…”

            “Bye!” Anna called back as Grillby left, “You really are super cute when you’re not being a noodley ass, Sans.” Anna kissed his cheek and Sans froze. He couldn’t control his body as it melted onto the ground. The only thing keeping his face from kissing dirt was his hands clenched in her jacket and her own arms around his ribcage. He felt deliriously warm and fuzzy as he breathed into her sternum, not even thinking about where his head was. She laughed hard at him as he relished the softness of both his emotions and her chest. Distantly, he knew he should probably move his head, but couldn’t bring himself to care at the moment. If she killed him later, he wouldn’t mind. At least he would die happy with the memory of her kiss and laughter. And her breasts. Sans admired every curve of Anna’s body, but had refrained from purposefully groping her until now. He hissed softly, subtly scenting Anna with a dopey grin. With any luck, he’ll manage to pull himself together _before_ she realizes what he’s doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that took a bit longer than intended, but at least it's finished now! I thought it would be fun to have it in Sans' POV and have Grillby pop up for a bit. This particular story seems to be unfolding a lot slower than I originally intended, but I somehow don't think you guys mind much ;)
> 
> As always, feel free to shoot me a request here or on my Tumblr! Comments and feedback are equally welcome!
> 
> Pending prompts in no particular order~:
> 
> Anon: Prequel to Giant Baby Steps (Giant!Sans)
> 
> RedSnow100: Borrower!Anna prank shenanigans
> 
> Lizzie: Vampire reveal fluffy acceptance (Vampire!Sans)
> 
> FlamingoBlubber: Blind reader-or-OC Dancetale
> 
> VitaminZink: Troubled Waters with Crossbones and a Skull (Sans POV)
> 
> VitaminZink: Something Fishy for Dinner sequel
> 
> Too_shy_to_fly: Coraline sequel
> 
> Have: First Date AU; Sans Versus Roscoe.


	23. Wyrms and Seers Alike

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings here, everything should be fine to read.
> 
> Thoughtfully beta'd by FlamingoBlubber

KnittingSamurai: Wyrm Grillby and Seer Iris

 

Whoever said that seeing the future would be handy… well, they’re not wrong, but they certainly don’t know how much of an absolute _hassle_ it is. _Especially_ when everyone knows you can see the future. And on top of that, overuse of my particular skill quickly saw me losing blood. No, I don’t cut myself to see the future. I don’t gaze into crystal balls—though some people certainly expect a show with their fortune. Neither do I read tea leaves, palms, cards, or the stars. I just… saw how things would happen. And everyone and their dog wanted to know the future and I was **_fucking tired_** of it. So, when Vicky heard there was a _dragon_ living within a week’s walk, she had an idea. A crazy idea, but my best friend was onto something.

No one was crazy enough to willingly live near a dragon. Certainly not to approach one unless they were a knight. And you knew they were coming—metal armor did no one any favors in terms of stealth. So, if I just so _happened_ to move nearby, people will stop coming around to bug the hell out of me for future visions. Either that, or they risk the wrath of a dragon. It was perfect!

… Well, not _perfect_. _I_ still needed to toe the line between living close enough to a dragon to ward off people but not close enough to be char-broiled. A very fine line, but one I was honestly willing to make work. Which is why I was currently camping out in a mountain cave. My little home was placed far up on the mountain so that anyone down below won’t be able to see me, but not so high as to be cold. The cave went deep into the mountain and likely connected to the dragon’s lair, but not for many miles, so the odds of the dragon happening upon me was small. I miss the safety of my old home, but with the lack of pressure to use my magic ability, my health was faring quite well despite the leaner pickings. I ate what I could catch, and most days I cheated for the best spots to set traps and fish. I wasn’t sure how winter would go for me, but I was mostly playing this all by ear anyway.

It was a simpler life, but I was happy enough with my own company and the occasional visit from Missy to be sure I was still alive. Until the nosy fucking knights started showing up, that is. The good-intentioned bastards. I was starting to wonder if there even _was_ a dragon though. I hadn’t heard anything beyond the local wildlife or even seen a large predator in the sky in the weeks that I’d been here.

\--Grillby is spitting mad at this nonsense—

It was like a horrid _itch_ in between his teeth. The maddening scent of a human in his territory, too faint to be a knight, sweating profusely in armor. Softer, perhaps a bit more feminine? The scent drifted into his nostrils occasionally while he rested. He’d been running though the cavern system to find the source, but failed despite weeks of searching. The mountain was vast, which was part of the reason he chose it, but now he realized a flaw. It wasn’t very secure to have dozens upon dozens of entries. Once he found the source, he’d take care of that himself. Craft a few doors, at the very least. And blasted _knights_ were beginning to swarm his territory! He had been refraining from attacking villages, yet they plagued him still! Weak excuses of metal and flesh, blaming him for a disappearing ‘seer’. If _he_ had a seer, he wouldn’t let them just wander off, though the droves of people wanting to know the future would get _old_ rather fast. But that’s what fire is for, isn’t it?

Admittedly, he wouldn’t mind having such a rare jewel in his collection of eclectic things, but living beings were harder to keep than inanimate objects. It was why he preferred knowledge in the form of books. Even if some thief stole something, he still remembered what they contained. They never left his possession, in a way. Though gems and precious metals were a rare treat for him. They glittered so nicely in his presence, how could he resist? The joy of successfully keeping a person was quite tempting… Regardless, now he had _two different_ pest problems and he did _not_ appreciate it. The mysterious little pest would _pay_ for causing him so much trouble—they were clearly somehow responsible for the infestation of knights! If they had sense, they’d leave his mountain and hide for the rest of their life.

So, he was quite shocked when his mystery pest suddenly revealed herself to him, bold as brass and thrice as pretty. For a human. She was a small thing, perhaps just small enough to swallow whole. Angry as he was, his curiosity won him over, as well as the gears turning in his head. He wanted to know how she avoided him all these weeks and, more importantly, why she was here to begin with. Though he was beginning to suspect that he already knew the answer to both questions…

\--I thought it would be more fun if Iris didn’t actually mean to avoid him—

You know… I’m starting to think that living in a dragon’s shadow is a _bad_ idea. I knew I would find him—my visions were clear on that—but there’s certainly nothing quite like the real deal towering over you. Surprisingly, he didn’t look like a dragon, at least not like the ones in stories. He didn’t have any wings, just clawed feet like a particularly dangerous snake that evolved. If that snake was cursed lava given flesh. His body was so long and thick, I’d never be able to wrap my arms around him. Not even the thinnest part of his long, winding tail. Not that I would. He looked like demon lava turned flesh and stone, scales small but catching the light like chips of rubies and amethyst. Dark purples swirled with darker reds and faint flickers of white all along his body like his scales were merely glass to showcase him fiery form. Light emanated from him in a soft glow, reflecting off the walls of the cave. A mane of fire traveled down his back and burst from his tail in a wide fan of flames. His eyes in particular were like solid opals but somehow seemed to be focused on me despite the lack of pupils. A tongue of fire flickered between pearly white fangs. His head was large and built like a particularly large snake and a crown of fire burned low over his brow. Overall, despite not being a traditional dragon, he was awe-inspiring and intimidating in his own right. As well as beautiful, but that wasn’t really relevant right now.

“So there you are, I was beginning to think this mountain was haunted.” His voice rattled my bones with its low timbre, “Who are you and why have you been nesting in my mountain like a rat?” Hot breath swirled around me, moving my plain tan dress around my knees and seeping into my leggings. I sucked in a deep breath, surprised at the heavy taste of cinnamon and firewood. Unable to hold his gaze, I focused on the morning light stretching across my plain boots.

“I’m sorry about that. I just wanted to be left alone. Couldn’t think of a better place to accomplish that than in the shadow of a dragon’s home.” I apologized stiffly, feeling a blush rise on my cheeks and the tips of my ears. My dark brown hair blocked my eyes briefly and I pushed my bangs back before finally looking up at him, “I am Iris, a seer, and I saw that a lot more knights would be coming to bother you soon. Apparently, word is out that I was ‘kidnapped’… and also possibly a princess, but I think that’s just the rumor mill at work. I can assure you that I’m not royal in any meaningful way.” A deep snort blew another gust of hot air my way and it felt rather nice. The weather was getting colder as of late.

“And why are you telling me?” He asked in amusement.

“Well… it seemed rude to not warn you at least. You didn’t ask to be a bodyguard and I’ve kind of been taking advantage of you up until this point.” I admitted sheepishly. He laughed hard, the sound bouncing off the cave walls. Whenever he seemed to be calming down, his eyes would fall onto me and he’d just laugh all over again. It wasn’t an unpleasant sound and I even found myself grinning. It _was_ a little ridiculous of a statement. Finally, after _quite_ a long time, he stopped laughing.

“Ahah—I have not laughed that hard in ages! Hah! The idea of a little human woman taking advantage of me!” He guffawed once more, “Ridiculous! You’re a curious little thing, aren’t you? Interesting idea of manners, too. Most wouldn’t consider a wyrm such as myself worthy of manners.”

“Worm? I thought you were a dragon?” I asked without thinking. He snorted again.

“Wyrm, not _worm_. They’re two completely different things, I assure you. Dragons have four legs and at least two wings, little woman. A wyrm lacks wings and can occasionally have legs but are capable of flight. I’ve also been called a lung dragon, but the name strikes me as… odd, so I prefer wyrm.” He explained patiently, “But regardless, you _have_ been causing me trouble as of late. So, it is only right that you compensate me. Cease living in your hiding hole and either leave this mountain or remain by my side properly.” I blinked in surprise.

“Uhm… You’re not going to force me to choose?” I asked, wondering if he even really minded the intrusion of knights. He seemed pretty talkative, though I doubt the knights experienced this downright pleasant side of him.

“Unlike some of my kind, I find keeping unwilling creatures tedious at best. If you don’t wish to stay, I won’t force you, but if you choose to remain, I will not have you squatting in a cave like vermin. I take pride in my collection. I also will not accept any backing out without consequences, so be certain of what you want.” He warned, “If this is a ploy to catch a dim-witted knight for a husband, leave immediately. I do not relinquish my possessions lightly, especially those of high value, and seers are _especially rare_ these days.” Well, it wasn’t like I expected him to be any other way. Dragons are notorious for their greed, even if he wasn’t technically a dragon. But… it was a little odd that he was so willing to accept my decision on the matter. He certainly didn’t _strike_ me as a wyrm who’d let what was apparently quite the prize just walk away. Was it a trick?

“Ah… why exactly would you… ‘collect’ me? I mean, in the stories, dragons eat princesses or whatever, but never seers.” I asked in confusion, shuffling forward to compensate for his distance, trying to imagine what I’d even do with my day in the company of a wyrm such as him. He huffed in amusement.

“I have no desire to taste human flesh, I assure you. Even if you are royalty.” He explained again, settling down onto his belly, his long body spooling around him like loose thread. Part of his body even looped around me in a wide circle, throwing off heat that I was thankful for in my chilled state, “Dragons of all kinds like to collect things. As a hobby or a show of status, it hardly matters. Gold and gems are all well and good, but usually quite small. Easy to miss. Easy to take. Living creatures are more difficult in every respect. A knight is more likely to fight for a princess than a bangle, after all. To _keep_ something is typically a sign of how strong you are… and it’s nicer to be able to talk with your charge. As handsome as I am, even _I_ tire of speaking to my reflection.” He explained. His head was still a way off from me and partially obscured by his body, so I moved just a bit closer to see him clearly. It was a little odd that he was moving to where he couldn’t see me clearly, but it wasn’t like I was much of a threat to him anyway.

“That still doesn’t explain why you’d keep me.” I asked, well aware I was lacking in royal pedigree. He grinned viciously, tail constricting and curling around my body as I shrieked in fear. But the fire didn’t burn me, merely brushed against me like a large fluffy feather with heat. His tail was solid though, clearly solid muscle trapped beneath scales. I couldn’t run if I tried, my legs restricted and my middle wrapped tightly with no room for negotiation. I should have looked harder at what he would do, even if I would be set back a day by passing out. Ironically, long-term planning is _not_ my strong-suit. Then again, I probably didn’t need to be a seer to notice he was penning me in with his own body.

“You can see the future, and yet you approached me. Surely you had to know I wouldn’t _really_ let you leave? You as good as chose me. Not many dragons can say the same, little seer. So long as you stay with me, you will be _my_ seer. You will warn me of coming dangers, should there ever be any, and all visions of the future will be mine. No one else may have them.” He laughed, fire curling through his fangs and around my face harmlessly with only the barest sensation of heat, despite clearly making contact with my delicate skin, “I will have the greatest treasure of all in my claws. The _future_. All in a pretty little package. My name is Grillby Ignis, remember it well. I am your new keeper and this mountain is now your home. We wouldn’t want to disappoint those idiotic little knights, now would we?” He declared boldly as he turned and headed deeper into the cave. His tail was long enough that he didn’t even need to change his walk to pull me alongside him as we both descended into darkness. Or close to it. At the very least, I was pretty sure he wouldn’t eat me. I was a bit too small to be worth the effort. I think.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I had fun writing it and I'd love to hear your thoughts! Here or on my Tumblr (Winter's Grasp, same username) is fine!
> 
> Feel free to request something of your own! Here's the pending list in no particular order:
> 
> Anon: Prequel to Giant Baby Steps (Giant!Sans)
> 
> RedSnow100: Borrower!Anna prank shenanigans
> 
> Lizzie: Vampire reveal fluffy acceptance (Vampire!Sans)
> 
> FlamingoBlubber: Blind reader-or-OC Dancetale
> 
> VitaminZink: Troubled Waters with Crossbones and a Skull (Sans POV)
> 
> VitaminZink: Something Fishy for Dinner sequel
> 
> Too_shy_to_fly: Coraline sequel
> 
> Have: First Date AU; Sans Versus Roscoe
> 
> Serene88: Soulmate colorblind AU (UF Anna & Sans)


	24. Sweet Tooth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! Look who's not dead for once! Sorry I've been gone so long and wasn't able to properly get a jump on the spoopy season, but I do plan on getting out at least one more holiday appropriate chapter. I'll tell ya more about it afterwards, though! 
> 
> The only warnings I have here is if you have a fear/anxiety about blood and there is a fair bit of neck kissing/biting in here. Other than that, it's fluff!

Lizzie: Vampire reveal fluffy acceptance (Vampire!Sans)

 

“Excuse me for a minute, sweetheart.” Sans quietly excused himself as he reluctantly removed himself from Anna’s embrace. He had been enjoying a movie with his sweetheart. Emphasis on the _had_. It wasn’t anything the cute little brunette did, of course not! He loved every part of her! From her cute bob to her honey eyes. In fact… he loved her a little _too much_. In all honesty, he probably shouldn’t have pursued a relationship at all. It wasn’t safe! He almost _bit her_! _Again_!

Wait… That statement probably needed some context. Sans… wasn’t an ordinary skeleton. Well, most humans would consider that fact alone enough to be suspicious or even afraid—yet another reason _his_ sweetheart was above all others. But to get to the point, Sans wasn’t _just_ a skeleton monster. He was a skeleton monster that fed almost exclusively on _blood_. It was… a weird quirk of his family, to say the least. Oh, he could get by on food, but blood had always been the preferred diet. Something he had been neglecting because of how good _Anna_ smelled. How could he work up an appetite for donated blood when his sweet little human’s blood was inches from his teeth? The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her though, so with a fierce scowl, he cracked open the small vial of blood he kept for emergencies and downed it.

Usually, the blood didn’t taste so bad. It was freely given, albeit for a different purpose than he was using it, and typically tasted… faintly pleasant. Just a little sweet this time, but Sans didn’t mind so much. Since he could hardly attack people for their blood, he just had to make do with specially prepared and harvested blood. Usually, the blood he received from his father was… liberated from extra stock for blood donations. Never in blood types that were desperately needed, but enough to help his strange little family get by. So, there was usually a fair bit of variety to be had. But damn him if it didn’t taste lacking when he could only imagine what it would be like to taste fresh blood. Specifically, Anna’s blood, but that was beside the point. At the very least, the little vial of blood took the edge off of his need. Now he could go back to enjoying his evening with Anna!

But the moment he was nestled on the couch, cuddling her with their arms wrapped loosely around each other, he felt it. The soft thrum of her heartbeat pushing blood just under the surface of her delicate throat. The movie faded into the background, the sweet aftertaste of blood still lingering on his tongue. He nuzzled into the soft pulse, nipping lightly despite the distant voice in the back of his mind screaming at him. Closer still was the sharp inhale that stretched into a stifled moan when he licked the small bit of abused skin. Encouraged, he couldn’t resist sucking at the same spot as he worried the skin with his teeth. Layers of cotton were lifted away from his mind when a feminine hand clutched the back of his head with a whispered plea.

“S-Sans!” Drunk on warmth and a hazy desire to feed more fully from the human in his arms, Sans pulled back to look at her. Anna. Right. Wait, what?

“Yeah, sweetheart?” Sans asked, slowly gathering his wits again.

“Are you alright? You just seem… really hungry?” Anna asked, her perceptive nature shining through. Or perhaps her innocent mind not leaping into the gutter as readily as his own. Sans still wasn’t sure, and they’d been dating for a couple of months now. To his growing horror, she seemed to be connecting some dots, “I mean, I’ve never really seen you eat much, but I figured you didn’t need to eat as much as a human does. Should I make some more popcorn? I’m a bit of a popcorn hog… or maybe you need some real food?” She started to get up but Sans tensed his body and resisted the movement.

“That’s not necessary, sweetheart! I’m perfectly fine, right where I am. I’m not even really hungry.” Sans lied through his teeth, and judging by the unimpressed look Anna gave him, she could tell.

“Sans, you need to eat more. Don’t hold back on my account.” _So_ not what she should be saying in this situation, all things considered, “Do you have a special dietary need or something? Is that why you rarely eat food with me?” She asked, again cutting a little too close to the truth.

“It’s fine, Anna, really!”

“No, you’re not! Your eyes have been getting weird and you’re doing that teething thing like you’re practicing for a good piece of steak!” Anna said, trying again to pull out of his arms to face him properly. Teething thing? What? It took Sans a moment to realize his fangs were, in fact, flexing slightly from his jaws. Which really was what his family tended to do when hungry. Sort of like drooling. The fangs were somewhat retractable to help hide and create a seamless wall of teeth without overlapping fangs being exposed needlessly. Leaving his fangs ‘out’ was what lead to him having to get a gold cap on his left fang in the first place after a rough bar brawl. Whoops.

“It’s nothing to worry about Anna, I promise.” Sans tried to reassure her, but Anna wasn’t having it. He rather felt like he was being stabbed in his Soul when her eyes grew misty. Gently, she cupped his cheek with a crestfallen expression.

“But I _am_ worried, Sans. I don’t want you to get sick.” She whispered and Sans instantly felt like scum. He knew damn well her brother had fallen ill for several years when she was young and thought her big brother would hang the moon in the sky singlehandedly. He recovered, but not for a very long time and not without a lingering chill in his bones. Sans couldn’t help but crumble like a shitty cracker.

“Alright Anna… you’re right. I _do_ have a special dietary need. But it would freak most people out, so I can’t tell anyone. Normal food doesn’t really have what I need, but I can eat it just fine.” Sans admitted softly into her ear as he kissed her cheek. Sans had almost hoped she would drop it, but he knew better than that.

“What is it, Sans?”

“I… Oh, Anna, please believe me when I say I would _never_ hurt you. I’ve never hurt anyone with my… special needs. Dad’s an ass, but he makes sure our family has enough to survive.” Anna looked at him in confusion.

“Sans, what do you need?” She asked again.

“It’s… it’s blood, sweetheart. I have to drink blood. It sounds a bit silly when I say it like this, but I’m a vampiric-skeleton-monster. I drink blood, I’m a bit sensitive to light, but that’s all. Not a fan of garlic, but that’s unrelated. I don’t drain blood from victims, it’s all donated blood from a blood drive.” Sans explained, shoulders and magic tense in fear of her reaction. She’ll probably be scared witless of him now. He knew he would be if someone he dated had spent several minutes biting his neck before telling him that they feasted almost solely on bones.

“Is that why you were…? Sans, tell me truthfully, are you hungry right now?” She asked him sweetly, no fear present in her voice. Sans looked down at her in surprise. She wasn’t afraid of him?

“Y-Yeah… I’m a bit of a weirdo, I know, but you smell really good and I just…” Sans shut up, magic burning his cheekbones as he studiously avoided eye contact with her.

“Does it hurt? Are there side effects?” Anna asked, shocking Sans. There was _absolutely no **way**_ she was going to suggest what he thought she was going to suggest.

“Uhm… not if I do it right, no. And the uhm… side effects vary depending on how, where, and with whom the feeding occurs. Usually my magic will… amplify a positive emotion during feeding. Whatever is closest to the surface. It’s a holdover from when my ancestors would actually hunt and feed from humans. Technically for ambient magic in their blood from their strong Souls, it’s just easier to get from blood. And _that_ would be stronger with positive emotions than negative ones.” Sans rambled, remembering the long history lesson from his dad. She then nodded.

“Alright. That’s fine with me, Sans.” Sans’ eyes snapped to hers. Golden eyes reflected his own shocked expression. She was _serious_.

“Anna! Are you sure? Are you even thinking straight?!” Sans questioned a little hysterically.

“Sans.” Anna said in an uncharacteristically stern voice, “I _trust you_ , Sans. With my life _and_ my blood.” She smiled softly and turned over to embrace him fully. Face pressed into his shoulder and presenting her bare neck to him. Dizzy with love and overwhelmed, he allowed himself to nuzzle her unmarked throat. She was a little tense when he pressed his teeth to her skin, but melted after he spent several minutes leaving love bites on her pale skin. Relishing the freedom from worry and the increasing sounds of shy pleasure. By the time he _actually_ bothered to bite her, she was sitting upright in his lap, limp and blushing against his chest. There was no pain, only love and pleasure from his bite. Not a trace of fear from either one of them and Sans couldn’t be happier that Anna loved him so much that trusting him like this was a foregone conclusion rather than a difficult journey. Never had blood tasted so savory and sweet on Sans tongue, though he was certain to stop before Anna felt more than a bit woozy. She trusted him, after all, and that was one gift he never wanted to lose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that was to your liking! 
> 
> With any luck, I'll be able to quickly write up a chapter for Horrorfell. It's a bit of a plot bunny in my head, but I wanted to let it out in time for Halloween. I haven't forgotten about those requests though! And if it's not on the list, just remind me! Sometimes it's harder to keep track between work and home when something is requested! In no particular order:
> 
> FlamingoBlubber: Blind reader-or-OC Dancetale
> 
> RedSnow100: Borrower!Anna prank shenanigans
> 
> Anon: Prequel to Giant Baby Steps (Giant!Sans)
> 
> VitaminZink: Troubled Waters with Crossbones and a Skull (Sans POV)
> 
> VitaminZink: Something Fishy for Dinner sequel
> 
> Too_shy_to_fly: Coraline sequel
> 
> Have: First Date AU; Sans Versus Roscoe.
> 
> Serene88: Soulmate colorblind AU (UF Anna & Sans)
> 
> And that's all I have written down right now! If you want to request something (or remind me of a request!) please feel free to comment down below or on my Tumblr with the same username on a blog called Winter's Grasp! I love hearing from you guys, always! Oh, and I should post a picture soon that was the brainstorming source for my Horrorfell idea. Some details may be changed up (like the scar is on the left side instead).


	25. A Dying Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Copy and pasted from phone, so if there aren't italics or bold, I'll reupload at home. Ah! And this chapter is pretty alright, I can't think of any warnings that wouldn't be impled with a horrorfell au. Suggestions of violence, bodily harm, psychological breaks, starvation, and attempted murder. Certainly not as... Horrific as some of the more intense takes on horrortale.
> 
> Thoughtfully betad by Flamingo Blubber, as always!  
> Have a spooky but safe Halloween!

Horrorfell; A Dying Light

 

The world crumbled in parts. First around the edges, magic decaying beyond eyesight. Then the corruption grew closer. Mages overreached themselves once, long ago, and in spite. It was only just that their victims were the last to feel the echoes of that fateful choice. A poisoned lock crafted around a mountain with a false key. It was doomed to fail and take the inhabitants with it. Perhaps with many mages, all of one mind, it would have been possible without the end result of a slow death for humanity. But with only seven, each with a hidden goal of their own? Quite impossible. 

The barrier would keep the magic beings captured, but to contain such power, sacrifice was required. It ate away at the world’s core magic in parts the closer the monsters got to obtaining seven Souls to, as they believed, release the barrier. With unwilling Souls, innocent of the crimes of the past, the barrier would collapse, taking the entire mountain with it. But with two Souls, monster and human beating as one, the way would be clear. It was meant with bitterness, for most thought such a thing impossible. It was almost achieved by two children, but wrath ate away at the Determined Soul, and took the young monster prince with them. Another Determined Soul escaped the mountain, determined to return stronger than before and make up for their sins. Where they went, no one was certain.

This was as far as humanity got into determining the faults of their past before the last string of cohesiveness collapsed. But in the dying light, perhaps there was another chance? 

\--It started with blood—

Magic was a gift. That’s what everyone tells you growing up. Right up until magic goes wild and starts crafting nightmares from nothing and everything starts dying. Then suddenly it’s a curse and if you had the ‘gift’ before, you better run fast. I couldn’t run fast enough, though Brian saved me from dying. I think. It’s a bit blurry between having my head smashed through with a two-by-four. Brian says I saved myself with magic, moments from dying in his arms. Sometimes, I think I believe him. Empathy overwhelming my body and producing erratic green sparks. And then I get distracted by the zombies I accidentally made.

They weren’t all bad. Sometimes they just… sat there. Like an existential doll. Other times they were vicious and filled with rage. But Brian wasn’t there to explain for me, and my own words failed like they did anytime I tried to speak since I gained the jagged scar from my left temple to just above my left ear. So, fearing for a new form of corrupted magic to kill them, the desperate survivors tossed me into a deep hole on a mountain. Somehow, I survived, though I wasn’t surprised. Severe brain damage couldn’t kill me, so why would a little fall?

My head hurt, a slow pounding beat and rattled along my skull. Distantly, I noted a withered and beaten flower was speaking to me. I faintly wondered about that song my mother used to sing to her plants. She always had the most beautiful garden… maybe this flower needed a lullaby too? But the words escaped me even as the tune echoed faintly in my memories. Something about love and travel, I think? Well, it wasn’t like I could sing it, even if I did remember.

“You shouldn’t have come down here, human. You’ll die, like all the others.” Cradling the shaved left side of my head, I only smiled. Judging by the way the flower withdrew, it wasn’t a comforting smile. Green and deep blue sparked erratically around me, reaching out to the dead flower patch beneath my boots. Plant life jerked and knotted up in thick patches of growth. Briefly, the air felt cleaner than before. As though a window had been opened up in a dusty room. Even the talking flower was affected, yellow petals shining to life. As nice as it was to see a pretty flower, the ache in my head only increased. Maybe it was just the bright colors? But then  _ she _ walked into the room. A tall monster with grayed fur, a worn and frayed purple dress with some symbol on her chest deliberately shredded, soft horns, and sharp purple eyes. Distantly, she reminded me of some type of bovine creature. Perhaps a cow or a goat?

Though she seemed to shuffle, her steps slightly out of sync, there was danger in her wake. Like if I made one wrong move, she’d cut me down with the shriek of a banshee too late to be a warning. My brother acted like her sometimes, when the stares got too hot on our backs. When he looked at my scar while others were armed nearby. She’s protecting something, but I wasn’t sure that there was anything left to protect. She was too broken for that. 

“Child! My child! Come closer my dear, please. Let me get a good look at you.” She crooned, almost seeming to look past me despite deliberately maintaining eye contact. Obediently, I shuffled closer, but before she could embrace me, I gently brushed my hand across the edge of frayed white embroidery. The only thing left of what was likely a symbol on her dress. She seemed frozen, locked in time far away from me. I gave her a gentle smile and slid my hand into her clammy paw. Pain lanced through me again, though not as strongly as before, and brought tears to my eyes. My heart went out to her, but I knew that nothing I could do would help. Playing along would only confuse her further during any brief moment of lucidity. It was… a common problem with mages that took in corrupted magic. They obsessed until they broke and shattered more with every passing day.

I did not eat the pie she offered. I didn’t sleep in the bed she gave me. I did not call her ‘mother’. And when she relived a fight against a phantom of her memory, speaking of a King who would slay me if I strayed from the Ruins, I simply walked past her. She didn’t notice, even as the heavy doors closed shut once again. Only breaking the cycle would save her now, but I couldn’t act in the place of her ‘child’. Not with my magic coming apart at the edges as it was, and staring into the fog covered snowscape before me, I felt like my heart was breaking a little for ‘Toriel’. 

My gray sweater did little to keep out the biting chill. Part of it seemed to be a literal cold front, but there was a deeper edge to the wind. The snow a little more gray than white and the air tense with…  _ something _ . I walked past an obvious bear trap set up in the middle of the path, only to have it snap shut behind me after a few feet. My heart was pounding, doing little to alleviate the headache still lingering in my skull. I found myself frozen as heavy footsteps broke the snow with treads cracking through the silence with a crunch that made me faintly nauseous. Though that may have been the bridge before me being littered with holes and bloodstains. The steps halted just behind me, a tension rising in my chest despite the overwhelming heat pouring off the stranger.

“ **_Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right where you stand_ ** .” He commanded with a deep growl. Slowly I turned on my heel and found myself chin to sternum with a skeleton. He towered over me, worn black winter jacket open to reveal a bared ribcage. Scarred and chipped, once white bones were faintly yellow and seemed somewhat brittle. A clawed skeletal hand was open in an offer for a handshake, though I easily saw a sharp spike nestled in his palm. Gently, I clasped his offered hand, mindful of the spike. With a deep breath, I looked up at the skeleton’s face and felt a swell of empathy within me. Magic sparked around me as I took in his broken features.

The top left portion of his skull had been busted open, cracks seeping down into his left eye socket and cutting to the base of a golden fang. Eyes of jumbled red magic, like a spool of thread unwound, leaked and burned red scorch marks beneath his eyes. I wished I could speak then. Tell this stranger with a broken face that there had been enough death by now. That I had nothing to offer but my deepest condolences that his home was not safe. I had only seen three living beings down here. Each so very broken, but not irredeemable. Maybe I was a bleeding heart, but I was sick to death of pain and the never-ending cycle. If he was willing, I’d gladly walk the line to carve out a better life with him. He was a survivor, like so many I’d met. But I knew better than anyone that living on the edge left you scrambled and empty. He deserved more than that. Toriel deserved better than this and so did that strange flower. We all did.

The stranger seemed… frozen. Somewhat horrified, some part hopeful, and just a little bit like he was about to break down into either a crying fit or laughing hysterics. Maybe a little bit of everything. He dropped a butcher knife from… somewhere behind his back and cradled my face with both hands. Neither of which held spikes on his palms now, to my relief. 

“How are you not dead yet, firefly? So open and trusting, I feel like I could just reach out and rip your heart from your chest, yer so open!” He babbled, “I’m so hungry, but yer magic—”

“Psst! Sans!” A voice whispered from beyond the trees. That curious flower peaked out at us, “Her magic is fractured, likely from that head injury. She’s useless against the barrier as she is right now. But she can heal… I wouldn’t eat her just yet.” And just like that, the weird little flower was gone. ‘Sans’ moved his arms to cage me in suddenly, a deep rumble rattling his ribcage.

“A healer is worth three times their weight in meat, firefly. If you can heal that weed, I bet you could fix the gardens. Get food back to growing again. Stave off the starvation that plagues us.” Sans murmured, “I’ll protect you in exchange for food. Keep us fed, my brother, yourself, and I, and not even ‘Queen’ Undyne herself would be able to touch you.” I wasn’t sure what to say to that, but I knew in my heart what I would do. They needed help. Food was a bit… slim on the surface, but rarely would you starve. Corrupted magic and its creations would kill you first. Down here, the problem seems… reversed. The magic isn’t really corrupted like I was used to. It was frayed, like Toriel’s dress, but something is preserving it from breaking down. I bet if I figure out what, I can find a solution to  _ all _ our problems. I looked up at Sans and smiled softly, nodding in agreement. He frowned for a moment, claws gently running along my scar, carding through what was left of my bob haircut. His bones almost looked white, tangled in the dark brown strands. 

“Firefly, firefly… can you even speak?” he asked before moving one hand to cradle his own cracked skull, “Or is your head a little scrambled too?” I nodded sadly, almost swearing that he looked… forlorn at the news.

\--Just something extra—

It was a close call getting Papyrus to allow Sans a chance to prove keeping the human was worth it. A withered echo flower sat in a pot. It used to sit in their windowsill before things went to shit. 

“If the human can  _ indeed _ revive plants, then we shall keep her. Things may be a bit leaner for a bit, but if it means plenty of food in the future, I refuse to allow hunger to make me shortsighted!” Papyrus declared boldly, just like Sans hoped he would. His brother had always been good at planning. Probably one of the reasons why Snowdin wasn’t worse off than it already was. The human woman sat down on the floor with the cracked flowerpot resting in her lap. Gently, she cupped a faded green leaf, stiff with death despite their attempts to keep it healthy. A fate every plant eventually shared in the underground. She looked beautiful when she had that soft look on her face. The kind of look that made Sans feel like her heart was bleeding  _ for _ him, not in pity, but in sympathy. Sans blamed the magic that hummed though the air for the warmth in his Soul. Fractured as the magic was, it rang with honest intent. Pure Kindness and perhaps no small amount of Integrity. 

“…Over and under, a-round and through. These are the ways, that I love you…” A soft tune trembled through the air, harsh with disuse, though she sang on still. The stiff plant trembled, bright green magic pulsing through to the roots before mellowing out into an aqua green. Not quite the original color, but it didn’t affect the end result in any meaningful way.

_ “…Through valleys and rivers, my hope is true. This is the way, that I love you _ .” The echo flower sang back to the human, surprising her. Sans considered her injury for a moment and concluded that her speech may be gone, damaged by the blow to her head, but  _ singing _ is in a different part of the head for humans. He felt warm surprise to know that he could still enjoy his mysterious human’s voice despite her troubles. And that his brother was now thoroughly convinced of her usefulness. Her fellow humans may have cast her out, but Sans was no fool. He was keeping her, and he’d take far better care of her than whoever looked after her before. Last time he slacked off, Frisk got the wild idea that they could find help or get strong enough to break the barrier themselves on the surface. And look how  _ that shit _ turned out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Feel free to comment or request here or on my Tumblr. The list in the last chapter applies to this one, I just wanted to post this while on break.
> 
> Short, but I'm on a break at work right now, so have fun today you guys!


	26. Rude Dude Begone! (First Date AU; Sans/Anna Vs. Roscoe)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Been a while, but I wanted to drop this by before the new year. I hope you guys all have a good year and that 2019 is... well, better in general. With any luck I'll be able to drop more chapters in the future but damn, work is exhausting.
> 
> Thoughtfully beta'd by FlamingoBlubber!

Have: First Date AU; Sans Versus Roscoe.

 

Sans was on cloud nine. Wholly and completely to the point that Papyrus was ready to hurl him out the window if he kept grinning like a loon.

“Sans! If you don’t stop that, I _will_ dump this entire pot of noodles on your head.” Papyrus threatened with a surprising amount of heat. Sans almost believed him. If it wasn’t for the fact that Papyrus would _never_ ruin a perfectly good meal. Even if Sans was being insufferable.

“But Paps, how can I stop when I have a _date_?! With a total cutie?!” Sans begged of Papyrus dramatically, only somewhat exaggerating. Anna _was_ really cute. It was actually almost dangerous how quickly he felt attached to a relative stranger. Papyrus’ eye sockets narrowed at him dangerously and Sans chuckled.

“Hmm… Is this the same human female that you gallantly saved from being stood up?” Papyrus asked, to which Sans nodded joyously. Papyrus let out a long sigh, shoulders drooping as he turned away and continued, “How can I punish you for such a kind act with no thought of a reward? I hardly wish for you to completely devolve into a bastard… I suppose exposing your date to baby bone pictures will have to do. It’s quite fascinating how you changed over the years.” Papyrus crowed, pleased with his new solution. Sans could only feel dread.

“Woah now! There’s no need for that! I’m sorry for being obnoxious! I’ll stop—just don’t show her… wait. How do you even _have_ those?” Sans demanded just before there was a knock on the door. Scooting back the kitchen chair, Sans walked through the living room to open the door. And there Anna was, dressed casually in a dark blue hoodie and jeans looking quite pissed.

“Uhm… Is everything—” Sans began to ask just before Anna’s gold eyes softened to a lighter honey color. Anger not totally gone, but certainly not in full force.

“Sorry about that. Roscoe—the guy that stood me up—he’s… Well, he’s being a dick right now. I know we were supposed to meet up later, but I didn’t want to talk to him today so I just…” Sans shook his head and welcomed her inside.

“It’s no problem, sweetheart. I guess he probably wanted to force a confrontation?” Sans asked, leading her to their slightly beat up green couch. Anna sat down with an annoyed huff.

“Yeah. Some bullshit about how I can’t break up with ‘a man like him’ over text. Didn’t appreciate me calling him out for standing me up on our first anniversary over an hour late through text himself. Apparently its _fine_ to do that through text if it’s me on the receiving end.” Anna threw up her hands in disbelief. Papyrus poked his head out and snorted.

“Sounds like a prick. I’m the Great and Terrible Papyrus… but I suppose you may call me Papyrus.” He offered magnanimously. Anna seemed only briefly startled before smiling softly.

“I’m Anna. I suppose you’re Sans’ brother?” She asked, to which Papyrus scoffed.

“Yes. A blessing and a curse. I don’t know what he’d do with himself if I wasn’t around.” Papyrus commented before retreating back into the kitchen.

“…Well… You’ve probably got it well in hand, but if ya like, I’m willing to show ‘Roscoe’ the error of his ways. Physically. With a chair if needed.” Sans joked only somewhat and was rewarded with a sudden burst of laughter from Anna. She grabbed his hand and thoughtlessly pressed a kiss to his knuckles, her lips warm and curled in amusement. Sans almost ran out of the room to gain control of his Soul again. Her breath curled around his bones as she chuckled softly.

“This has been a long time coming, Sans. Roscoe’s really good at making me feel like a dumbass who can’t do anything right. I’ve almost broken up with him a few times before but he’d talk me out of it so… I’ll probably need that support. Just to make sure it sticks this time.” Anna admitted quietly, “I’m tired of never being good enough.” Sans melted just a little, his Soul aching in sympathy as he tugged her closer to press a kiss to her forehead.

“Yer a sweet little lady, Anna. I’d gladly break a few legs if it helped. And ah… I know this all is a little fast. Don’t be afraid to push me back a few steps if it turns out ya don’t feel ready for a date. We can just hang out as friends.” Sans told her earnestly. He didn’t have many friends. Most of which were from before the barrier broke. He found it hard to trust these days, but he could feel it in his Soul. Anna was good. Would be good to and _for_ him, whether as friends or something more. Well… it didn’t hurt that she was easy on the eyes. Sans didn’t comment on how damp her eyes looked, somewhat fascinated with how they darkened in color as he gently swiped his thumbs under her eyes.

“It’s hard to say right now, Sans but… I think I need a good friend right now. And I could certainly do worse than you.” Anna giggled softly. Sans gasped in mock offense.

“Hey now, don’t go comparing my superior bone structure to a human turd!” Sans declared dramatically, earning a soft laugh from Anna, still not letting go of his hand. Sans didn’t comment on it either.

\--Time for the smack down!--

It was on their third ‘maybe-friends-maybe-something-more’ date that Roscoe made an appearance. He was dressed to the nines, as always, and looked a bit out of place in the little mom and pop dinner Sans and I were in. It hurt a little to see him, but I counted it as a win that my immediate reaction wasn’t to try to apologize. Which is usually how I felt when he entered the room looking disgusted. Sans shot him a glance, sizing him up swiftly before scoffing, apparently not threatened in the least.

“Hey Roscoe. Surprised to see you here.” I commented lightly, wondering a little about why he’d ever come here willingly. Though knowing him, he’d come here to confront me specifically.

“This little tantrum ends now, Anna. I’m missing an important reservation right now to deal with you.” I raised a brow at him and rolled my eyes.

“Then perhaps you should manage your time better. This is hardly a tantrum, Roscoe dear. We broke up. Maybe not on your terms, but you hardly liked being seen in the same room with me to begin with. I thought you’d be relieved to have it over and done with.” I admitted, a little surprised he was bothering, but Roscoe always was a stubborn ass when it suited him. He seemed taken aback a bit and switched gears, turning his attention to the skeleton across from me. The nearby customers seemed to be pretending like they totally weren’t listening in, but I figured that Roscoe was asking for it if he thought a public confrontation would force me back out of embarrassment.

“And shall I assume that _you_ are the one that’s stepping between us? Preying on vulnerable girls?” Roscoe sneered, which Sans found amusing, judging by his sharp grin.

“More like stepping up. I’m not the one that stood up a beautiful lady on an anniversary dinner. If ya wanted a doll to play dress up, you should look in the toy section, not the singles area.” Sans snarked with a deceptively relaxed posture.

“Anna, you shouldn’t hang around a _monster_ like him. Come along and I’ll overlook your _indiscretions_.” Roscoe demanded. Sans looked ready to pummel him but I beat him to the punch.

“Roscoe, what the fuck do you think I’ve done with Sans? Not that it’s your business really, but the most I’ve done is honestly just have a good time for the first time since I started dating _you_. For all your charm, you’re still the biggest asshole I’ve ever met and I can only blame my poor judgement on ever agreeing to go out with you.” I snapped at Roscoe, reaching across the table to hold Sans’ hand and remind him not to actually jump Roscoe. “Just drop it Roscoe, and for once, actually listen the one thing you’ve consistently told me for the entirety of our relationship. That we don’t fit together, no matter how hard we try. Even if I’m the only one who put effort into it in the first place.” I turned away from him and snapped open the menu in dismissal. I heard Roscoe step forward before beating a hasty retreat. The short glance I shot over the laminated menu explained it all. Sans was shooting his retreating back a foul glare, left eye socket alight with misting red magic and a single ‘eye’ visible. His amicable grin feral and promising blood. He jolted when he realized I could see him and his grin softened sheepishly, eyes back to normal.

“Eheh… Sorry sweetheart. Just making sure he got the message for ya.” He smiled with pride, “Ya got him good though. He looked shocked to see your bark, sweetheart.” I laughed a little and blushed.

“Well… I was always so dazzled with the whole ‘first boyfriend’ thing that I couldn’t bring myself to ruin it. Cut myself to pieces trying to blindly fit a mold that would make him happy. And he wasn’t especially forgiving, so even when I started to fit in, all he could see was how I looked to begin with. I kinda wonder if he even wanted to date in the first place, or just thought he had to?” I shrugged, fairly certain I’d never understand. Sans grabbed my hand with a serious expression.

“Anna… If I ever, and I do mean ever, remind you of Roscoe… I want you to slap me so hard I end up in another dimension.” I snorted at that and choked with laughter.

“Sans!”

“What? It’s true! I’d deserve it if I ever made you want to cry like that!” my heart felt warm with affection for Sans in that moment. I knew then that I could very easily fall in love with this ridiculous skeleton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this one certainly did have a bit of history behind it. And I'm referring to the somewhat distant past when I just threw in an AU chapter for fun when I wanted to write something besides the story I was writing for but still wanted to use similar characters. You know, rather than sticking them all in one completely separate story. I tried to keep in mind the original idea for the original AU story, that being that Anna found a romantic interest that sucked (cause of course he did when the main story's pairing didn't involve him) and Anna was forced to grow up mentally and emotionally, briefly shrinking into herself with a lack of support system and a generally shitty partner. Anna knows herself better in this AU, simply because she learned quickly about the divide between what she was and an ideal partner she couldn't be. So when she snaps out of her depressed state and decides to leave Roscoe, she doesn't latch onto Sans as a romantic partner, but as a friend. Even though she's aware that she likes him quite a bit for a recent acquaintance. This version of Anna would be quicker to reach out for affection so long as she knows Sans wouldn't shun it, which let's face it, he'd probably never do. She'll probably be the first one to initiate a kiss too, but that's for later.
> 
> Anyway, enough about that! For the list of pending stories, in no particular order (and if you requested one that is not here, just remind me. Sometimes it takes me a while to get to my computer and tracking down exact comments gets a bit squirrelly when there are more comments made in the same time frame).
> 
> Serene88: Soulmate colorblind AU (UF Anna & Sans)
> 
> Too_shy_to_fly, Cuddlsthefan, KnittingSamurai: Coraline sequel
> 
> VitaminZink: Something Fishy for Dinner sequel
> 
> VitaminZink: Troubled Waters with Crossbones and a Skull (Sans POV)
> 
> FlamingoBlubber: Blind reader-or-OC Dancetale
> 
> RedSnow100: Borrower!Anna prank shenanigans
> 
> Anon: Prequel to Giant Baby Steps (Giant!Sans)
> 
> And as a note, I usually tack on people that express interest to remind myself how much interest the idea has. And if they pitch in their own ideas, though I may ignore them if they threaten to change the core of the original story itself, simply because it feels ridiculous to make an AU of an AU... of an AU in some cases and it gets hard to differentiate stories and their worlds when that happens. Don't get me wrong, I still love all of the feedback I get, but some things I do tend to be stubborn about. It's not that there isn't a good story to be told there, I just usually don't see it connecting well to what was previously set up.
> 
> Anyway, as usual, feel free to comment or request here or on my Tumblr (which is still standing after the purge that only really made it the wild west for porn bots as opposed to a porn free Tumblr, but that's something else entirely). Have a good new year!


End file.
